Modern Day Revelation

I'm looking out the window here at work as gathering storm clouds begin to usher another winter storm. It's windy, and the darkening afternoon is ripe with turbulent energy. But February tends to be a breeding ground for these types of tempests; they come hard and fast and deliver quite a wallop. But in a day or so, they blow by and the calm doldrums of a Northern California winter continue. 

In the strengthening gale, though, I noticed a bright beam of sunlight penetrating through the thickening overcast, like God shining a flashlight down from Heaven. I put my coffee cup down and kept staring out the glass, being most unproductive as the divine panorama momentarily turned my thoughts from earthly deadlines to eternal destinies.

I believe in Heaven and Hell and hope like hell I end up in Heaven. Okay, it’s a cheeky way to describe it but that’s what I believe. Though my walk is generally disorganized, my faith isn't. I firmly believe in Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and take Him at His word that He's coming again someday to judge the earth and square up accounts between good and evil. I also know I don't want to be on the wrong side of history when that happens because, in case you haven't read the book, evil loses--badly. It's really not going to be very pretty.

However, though I believe in the Lord's return, I have no idea when that's going to happen. Today, tomorrow, next year, next century? God only knows is a perfectly good answer to the question and one I'm perfectly content to live with. People can guess and speculate all they want, and many do, but their logic and conjecture is only as good as any other human beings- small and imperfect. And as it pertains to the perfection and hugeness of the Deity, likely wrong, too.

So I find it somewhat amusing to hear what's going on at the Family Radio Network. Family Radio is a listener supported Christian radio ministry based in Oakland, California. They've been around a little over fifty years. In fact my first radio job was at KEBR-FM, the Sacramento Family Radio affiliate. I was in college at the time and worked two summers there, answering phones, changing tapes, running the board. Being at KEBR was interesting, because it was my first chance to experience and learn the inner workings of a real radio station. The programming content, however, was mind-numbingly dull.

It still is.

But that’s not the issue. I've got nothing against Family Radio and will always be grateful they gave me my first paying job in broadcasting. But I do have some questions about the sanity of President and Family Radio Founder, Harold Camping. Though he and I never crossed paths during my time toiling in KEBR’s studios and he wouldn’t know me from Adam, I think I can say with little fear of being contradicted that the man is a loon. Now approaching 90 year sold, the old codger has recently made it his life's work to swear up and down that Judgment Day is coming. Of course, in a general way all believers know that. But for the last year or so, Harold Camping has targeted a specific date: Saturday, May 21. This year. For those of you keeping score at home, that's about three months off. 

In fact, Family Radio- or really, Mr. Camping-  is so certain they've put up billboards and when logging onto the home page of their website, it's the first thing you see in bold letters: "Judgment Day... May 21, 2011. The Bible guarantees it!" Now, I make no claim to be a theologian or Biblical scholar, but I have read the Bible and never once saw May 21, 2011 mentioned anywhere, in any context, in either the Old or New Testament. What I do recall reading was that no man shall know the day or the hour of the Lord's return, that He'll come as a thief in the night; that we are to be watchful and live each day as if it was the day of His return, too. But only God knows if May 21, 2011 is that day; not Harold Camping

What I do know is there will be signs to watch for as Jesus' return approaches:  wars and rumors of wars, famines, natural disasters. Of course, haven't we had all that stuff since about the dawn of time? But what about such inconvenient truths, like the Battle of Armageddon, or the revealing of the Antichrist? Aren't these two of the events also guaranteed by the Bible to occur in the last days? Yes, I think they are. But doggone it, while I like to consider myself fairly up to speed on current events, I don’t think either of those two things has happened yet. Unless I just missed it, although if the world really was ending I'm pretty sure CNN and Fox News would be all over each other to see who'd be first to cover the biggest story in history. So I think I would’ve heard about it by now.

However, I will concede that we may be near or already in the end times, The recent implosion of Egypt, a nuclear Iran and the re-arming of Russia point in that direction. The Bible says that in the last days, Israel will be surrounded on all sides by enemies. Take a look at the map: if Egypt goes radical Muslim, except for a shaky Jordan, Israel will be surrounded by enemies. When that happens it's also prophesied that a large army from the North will advance and bring all its might to bear on the Israel.  Again, look at a map; Moscow is due north of Tel Aviv. Could that be the army the Bible is talking about? I don't know. But I know enough to know I don't know, except that someday Jesus is coming back. That much I'm quite certain of.

However, I'm not mocking Harold Camping or his beliefs or his ministry; although it isn’t easy not to. With a deep, craggy, shaky voice and delivery, listening to any of his programs- which I had to often when I worked for him- is like being lectured by Moses. Or in more contemporary terms, like the mean old neighbor down the street who hates kids: Why you young whipper snappers; get off my lawn!  He seemed then- and now- like a really old overbearing know-it-all.

But if he's right and this coming May 21 is the end of the world, so be it. That'll be a great thing for all Christians. We'll all be in Heaven. But if he's wrong- which is not unprecedented (he made a similar prediction in 1994)- Mr. Camping opens up the faith to even more ridicule and marginalization. That happens often enough without any of us even opening our mouths. Why make it any easier for the non-believers and skeptics? And how many more times can prominent so-called biblical 'scholars' cry wolf and get away with it?

And what happens to Family Radio if, on May 22, the world wakes up to just another run-of-the-mill spring morning?  Knowing how things work in radio, I almost guarantee the network has programming already prepared to roll that day- just in case. Along with some lame excuse about, "God giving us more time", or Mr. Camping's calculations were slightly off-base.... again. But who’ll be listening? If the sun rises uneventfully on May 22, Family Radio will have zero credibility. And if we're not history by then, then Family Radio certainly will be. Or should be anyway.

But that's not my call. I leave that judgment up to God.

Outside, the beam of sunlight I was looking at has been swallowed up again by darkening clouds and it looks like it could rain any second. The storm is almost here. But as I return to my daily grind- which, not coincidentally, is at another large listener supported Christian radio ministry that doesn't put itself out on a limb and make fools of themselves and our faith as Family Radio does- if we are on the cusp of the end of the age, I find it eminently satisfying to be working these last days in the Lord's vineyard.