“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that day will not come unless
the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed.”
—2 Thessalonians 2:3
Harold Camping, president of Family Radio, predicted that the rapture would occur on May 21, 2011. Obviously, this did not happen as he believed.
If you are someone who believed in this prediction or know someone who did,
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We believe Family Radio is full of people who love the Lord and were sincere in their belief that Jesus would return according to this prediction. But these sincere believers were simply in error—and we believe the Bible has the answers we all need to understand as to why.
See the article below entitled "Why We'll Still Be Here on May 22, 2011" to get a biblical perspective. You can also investigate further with more free resources following the article or by clicking the links in the main menu above.
Why We Were Still Here on May 22, 2011
Setting dates for the return of Christ is a big temptation for many students of apocalyptic Scripture. It is tantalizing to study prophecies and numbers and symbols in Daniel and Revelation with a calculator in one hand. Some feel compelled to roll up their sleeves, punch out prophetic figures, and do number crunching. Surely there is a hidden answer in Scripture predicting when Christ will come!
But if we are true to the Bible, if we seek the message of Christ’s words in Matthew 24 and 25 with an open heart, we will close our holy calculators. Preparation for Jesus’ return has less to do with figuring out a date and more to do with how we are to live in the present.
Harold Camping, a Christian radio broadcaster and president of Family Radio, used mathematical predictions to predict that the end of the world would happen on May 21, 2011 at exactly 6:00 p.m. He was convinced that a rapture of God’s people would take place. Then, five months later, God would destroy the Earth and the universe.
Some people laughed at Camping. Others wondered, “Could this be true?” The answer was never to be found in blogs, posts, or interesting articles—or even by the fact that the prediction did not come true. The real answer can be found only by studying the Word of God for yourself.
What does the Bible say about the timing of Christ’s coming? Here are seven passages from Scripture that guide us in understanding why Camping’s prediction could never have been true or trustworthy in the first place:
- Matthew 24:36 says, “Of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
The Bible tells us every effort we make to nail down the time for Christ’s return will fail. Camping directly contradicted Christ’s words.
- Luke 21:8 says, “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them” (Luke 21:8).
The Bible warns us there are false prophets who attempt to predict the timing of Jesus’ coming. Camping demonstrated that he is a false prophet by trying to set a date for Jesus’ return.
- Matthew 24:32, 33 says, “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!”
While the Bible shows us we cannot know the precise time of Christ’s second coming, it helps us know from signs that it is near.
- Matthew 24:44 says, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
A repeated emphasis in the Scriptures is to watch and be ready always because we do not know exactly when Christ will return (Luke 12:35-40, Matthew 24:50, 1 Thessalonians 5:6).
Part 1, Part 2
An important note: The video interview with Harold Camping was recorded before the May 21, 2011 deadline. The main article on this website, originally titled, "Why We Will Still Be Here on May 22, 2011" was also posted prior May 21, 2011, but it has been edited after May 21, 2011, to make it current.