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KINGDOM TRUTHS
WE ARE STILL HERE and it's déjà vu all over again!
By Pastor Delbert Young
Life Gate Ministries
204 North Main Street, LaFayette, GA 30728
706-638-7620, www.lifegatechurch.com
Winston Churchill once said, "I always avoid prophesying beforehand because it is much better to prophesy after the event has already taken place." That's not what we are doing here. What I will share here, I preached way before it would have been popular. We are not prophesying after the fact.
I don't know what we will learn today, but I am certain of one thing.
That one thing is that we will question any cataclysmic "END TIME PROPHECY" that
we hear from today on.
1. WE ARE STILL HERE!
As the new millennium began to close in upon us, we began hearing the prophets of doom declaring that the end of the world was upon us. Many people that you know personally were predicting the end of the world and bad times upon us. People stored water and food. They purchased Y2k survival kits. They prepared for nuclear war and fallout. I had said early in 1999 that little if anything would happen. I preached it and put in on the web March 7, 1999 in a message called, "Y2k Should Be Why Worry." As we did see, nothing happened. WE ARE STILL HERE!
I went online to check out some Y2k survival kits. The prices ranged somewhat, but I found them from $40.00 to $249.99.
2. NO TIME IN RECORDED HISTORY WHEN SUCH DOOM WAS PREDICTED
I cannot remember a time when so much doom was predicted from every corner. If it wasn't the church falsely promising it, it was the media. If the Lord did not come, rapture the church, and judge the world then Y2k would surely get us. If it wasn't Russia, it would be America. If it wasn't bad water, it would be no gasoline. People were actually disappointed when nothing happened.
3. DE'JA' VU ALL OVER AGAIN!
Is the idea that the End is near a recent phenomenon? Far from it. Indeed, Chicken Littles have cried doom since ancient times. The truth is that from the beginning of recorded history, man has falsely prophesied the end. In my office, I have more than 300 failed doom prophecies that have been given since the time of Christ. There is nothing really that new or different. Sometimes someone will come up with something a little unique or different, but the "end of the world" is always their final theme.
4. DOOM CRYING IS NOTHING NEW (BC) AND NOT A "CHRISTIAN THING"
(633 BC) From the beginning of time, man has incorrectly predicted the end of the world. It takes but a little study of history to find that back in our calendar BC years there were many false "end time" forecasts. One of the first recorded was concerning ancient Rome. Romulus, the mythological founder of Rome (633 BC), supposedly predicted the date that Rome would be destroyed and the end of the world. Rome is still here and WE ARE STILL HERE! And it is déjà vu all over again!
There is a connection with "end of the world" predictions and "mythology." Actually, there is no difference.
5. EASY PREY
We are not all that concerned about what was predicted BC. It is important to know that end of the world predictions were happening before Christ. It is not a "Christian" thing. "Christians" do not have the market cornered on "end of the world" false prophecies. Yet "Christians" are easy prey and victimized by Doomers. For example, the Y2k thing was not a "Christian" thing, but it seemed the Christians were the ones who talked of it the most. Instead of teaching the "New Commandment" that Jesus gave to us, we come up with a message of Doom and hate for sinners.
Jon 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Jon 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Every year, nearly every month, someone comes up with a new date for the rapture, the tribulation, the antichrist, the temple, the end of the world, and on and on. It really is, as Yogi said, déjà vu all over again! People that you love and people that I love were tremendously deceived by this stuff. It angers me that we cannot stop the false prophets that deceive God's people.
6. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY
The purpose of today's lesson is to seize the moment and take advantage of this event. As did Jesus, so we will attempt to do. The Lord would see a man sowing seed and use that event for teaching. He would watch a fisherman cast a net and he would use that event for instruction. He would observe a woman adding leaven to her dough and use that for education. We have observed much false prophecy over the last several months. Let's seize the event and use that for instruction.
I want to give you information that will help you personally develop faith in the presence of the kingdom of God. Also, I want to give you some ammunition for your discussions with those anxious for the Lord to come and judge mankind. I am not desiring that you "rub their noses in it," but yet this is a wonderful opportunity to preach the kingdom of God.
7. AMAZING TOLERANCE TO FALSE PROPHETS AND TEACHERS
One of the most amazing brainsick facts I learned in preparing this study is how tolerant we are of false prophets. It is absolutely amazing how quickly we forgive or overlook a lying false prophet, but often never forgive someone who said something that hurt our feelings. We want to stone the person that hurt our feelings, but anxiously await, with open arms, the next book or tape or television program from that deceiving false prophet. The Lord God and the Lord Jesus had absolutely no tolerance for a false prophet.
As we will soon see, these false prophets cause God's people to err and to be destroyed (Isa 9:15, 16). There is deceit of some sort in their hearts (Jer 14:14). That means they are wanting something from those they deceive and they use false prophecies to get it. The apostle Paul said these produce doctrines of devils (1Ti 4:1). They work from a desire to control and to keep in bondage those who will listen to them. We find that is a constant. Paul said, They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach - and that for the sake of dishonest gain (Tit 1:10-11).
There is simply no accountability. People are allowed to spew off at the mouth anything and it seems that unlearned Christians gobble up what these regurgitate. The Lord says these should be judged and even die (Deu 18:20). These often are "bastards" (Deu 23:2; Zec 9:6; Heb 12:8) having no father in the Lord who can correct them. In the scriptures, it was the parents' responsibility to stop the false prophet even if it meant death (Zec 13:3).
A false prophecy is a very serious matter to the Lord. We ask, "How do we know who is telling the truth and who is telling a lie?" Honestly, it is not difficult. We are given much instruction in the scriptures concerning this. The Lord God said, When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him (Deu 18:22). The Lord Jesus made it very clear concerning this. He said, Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Mat 7:15-16).
8. GOOD FALSE PROPHETS AND BAD FALSE PROPHETS
Another point I noticed is that "Christians" tend to separate false prophets. We have basically two categories for false prophets. Those categories are good false prophets and bad false prophets. I have a problem with that. Let me ask, when a person writes that the Lord is going to rapture the church in 1981, or another says the rapture will be or on September 12, 1988 and it does not happen, are those people good prophets and teachers or a bad prophet and teachers? This has happened and we continue to permit them to spew on national television. Yet, another person said they heard from God and Armageddon would happen in 1995. It did not happen. Now, was that prophet a good prophet or a bad prophet? Let me take it a little bit deeper. One of the prophets is literally willing to die for what he believed he heard and the other two did not so much as give an apology for being false. Which one is the good and which is the bad, or what is the difference?
Here are the results from the above mentioned good or bad prophets. Hal Lindsey wrote in his book "The Late, Great Planet Earth" that the rapture would happen in 1981. It did not. Edgar Whisenant wrote in his book "88 Reasons The Rapture Is In '88'" that the rapture would happen September 11-13. Whisenant went so far as to say, and I quote, "Only if the Bible is in error am I wrong, and I say that unequivocally." Both Lindsey and Whisenant continue to write books. Lindsey was on nation television 1/6/99. Lindsey and Whisenant are seen as "good false prophets." We tolerate them. Neither so much as apologized for being in error. They simply adjust their false prophecies. On the other hand David Koresh said Armageddon would come in 1955. His prophecy was false also, but he was willing to die for his prophecy. The church condemned Koresh and his cult. Koresh is seen as a bad false prophet. By no means am I defending Koresh. My point is why does the body of Christ permit one and condemn the other? Where do we draw the line and call these people into accountability?
9. SCRIPTURE READING
DEU 18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a
word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name
of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
DEU 18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we
know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
DEU 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the
LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not
spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. [modern
language is stop listening to him}
ISA 9:15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet
that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
ISA 9:16 For the leaders of this people cause them to
err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
JER 14:14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
ZEC 13:3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.
MAT 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
MAT 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men
gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
1TI 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times
some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of
devils;
1TI 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron;
TIT 1:10 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and
deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group.
TIT 1:11 They must be silenced, because they are
ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach - and that for the
sake of dishonest gain. (NIV)
10. TICKET TO FLY
Another amazing matter throughout my study was to see the attitude of
the "Doomers" that "I've got a ticket to ride or fly and everyone else, who
does not believe like me has a ticket to burn in eternal hellfire, HA HA! It does not seem
to bother them the least. It is like as long as I have my ticket to fly, billions can burn
and I will laugh at them as I go up. That spirit is prevalent with the Doomers today. I
once heard a very popular preacher with one of the largest ministries in America say that
he hoped the Lord would give him a little "hang time"at the rapture. That way he
could wave at some people as he went up. He also said the 1998, then it was 1999 was the
year of Jubilee and the Lord would come. There is something wrong with that spirit. I am
reminded of the story in Luke 9:51-56. People today know not what manner of spirit ye
are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.
11. CONTROLLING SPIRIT ACCOMPANIES THE DOOMERS
As we will see, there is a controlling manipulating spirit that
accompanies the Doomers. Illustrations that I will use that are familiar to us will be
Charles Manson, Jim Jones, David Koresh, etc. It is deadly. The Lord said the false
prophets "destroy" people. How true! Today Doomers must use fear and control to
keep their audiences and financial support. They must frighten their audiences to sell
their tapes, books, send money, etc. It is déjà vu all over again!
12. INDECENCY OF FALSE PROPHETS
One of the most appalling things to me was how indecent the false
prophets were and are. When they saw they had obviously given a false prophecy, instead of
apologizing and offering a refund, they simply make another false prophecy. They do not
have the decency to ask forgiveness.
To accomplish anything other than boring us to sleep, I will need to
"time warp" through millennia. I will skip literally hundreds of recorded failed
false prophecies about the end of the world, the rapture, the antichrist, the temple in
Jerusalem, Armageddon, the coming of the Lord, etc. However, using the analogy of a
stuffed turkey at Thanksgiving, I will stuff us so full of false, lying prophecies that
they will be coming out of our mouths, ears, and rears. I want us to become nauseous at
the next "end of the world" or "rapture" or "Armageddon"
prediction we hear. I want you to be able to say to yourself and to those you speak with
that, WE ARE STILL HERE, WE ARE GOING TO BE HERE and what you are telling me is DE'JA' VU'
ALL OVER AGAIN!
AD DOOMERS
I have in my office study today three hundred and fifteen (315)
recorded failed end time predictions that have been recorded up to this present date.
That's right, three hundred and fifteen. I am not talking about someone who got excited in
church and said the end is at hand and the Lord is coming soon. I am talking about
intelligent men and women, so-called leaders in the church who recorded their predictions
by media or books or their writings. They have all failed. I will say that again. They
have all failed. Not one of the 315 have materialized. Now tell me, what kind of witness
is this to the world?
Naturally we will not look at all 315 in this lesson. We will not even
be able to look at all I have in these notes. All 315 are available. One place you can
find them is the place I found them. That was on the web at a site called "Is it
the end of the world again?" located at http://www.geocities.com. The owner of the site
is not a believer, or at least doesn't seem to be. Neither does he have any
"kingdom" theology. He simply is distraught with people predicting the end of
the world and he is seemingly overwrought with dumb Christians. (I suppose it is a he?)
In this lesson we will look at some failed AD end of the world prophecies. Let's begin with one before the first century had completed. Again, the title of our message is "We Are Still Here or déjà vu all over again!
(93 AD)
Saint Clement I predicted the end of the world in
93AD. He did believe his prophecy to the point that he became a martyr. He taught the Lord
would come in 93 AD. Clement was drowned for his belief in Christ. I wonder about today's
Doomist. Would Van Impe or Hagee or Copeland die for their "end time"
predictions? People can be extremely sincere, but sincerely wrong. Clement I is gone. It
is now 2000 AD and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(100 AD)
Saint Ignatius was fed to lions. He too predicted
the soon coming of the Jesus. Ignatius has been dead now for 1900 years and WE ARE STILL
HERE!
(156 AD)
One of the first "Christian" cults
began around 156 AD. Montanus called himself a prophet inn Phrygia, now part of Turkey.
About 156, Montanus appeared in a small village, fell into a trance, and began prophesying
in what he claimed was the voice of the Holy Spirit. With two young women, Prisca and
Maximilla, he traveled teaching his doctrine throughout Asia Minor. Montanism held that
the Holy Spirit (or Paraclete) appeared through Montanus and his associates. Montanists
taught that Christ's second coming was imminent. He also taught that the New Jerusalem was
going to come descend out of heaven and land in Turkey (sound familiar? Heard something
like that before? It's déjà vu all over again!). The sect is gone, but WE ARE STILL
HERE!
(397 AD)
St. Martin of Tours said, "There is no doubt
that the antichrist has already been born. Firmly established already a mature man in his
early years, he will, after reaching maturity, achieve supreme power"
(500 AD)
About 221 AD Sextus Julius decided that God was
on a 6000 year schedule. By then the antichrist and Armageddon teachings had begun. Sextus
Julius decided that if a day is to the Lord a thousand years (2Pe 3:8), then it stood to
reason that if the Lord created the earth in 6 days, he would destroy it after 6 days or
6000 years. According to Sextus, the year of destruction was to be 500 AD. Others since
have picked up his teaching. The year came and the year went and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(Friday, March 25, 970 (AD)
A group of astronomers decided that the
announcement of the birth of Christ to Mary, the crucifixion, the day Adam was created,
Isaac was offered as a sacrifice, and the nation of Israel crossed the Red sea all
coincided. They then determined that this would be the day for the Jesus to come back.
Friday, March 25, 970 came and went and WE ARE STILL HERE!
I trust we know that I am skipping much. I am
simply attempting to show that false predictions of the end of the world, the Lord's
coming, even predictions of antichrist and Armageddon have been going on since time began
and Christ ascended.
(Midnight December 31, 999 AD)
Upside-down they had 666. Can you imagine
what it must have been like? Think of all the Y2k and false apocalyptic predictions we had
December 31, 1999. And we claim to be intelligent and literate. These people lived in an
ignorant bliss. Few could read. All could only listen to the Doomers and so they did. They
were certain it was the end. Farmers did not plant their fields. Land and houses were sold
and given to the church, which, by the way did not return them after nothing happened. The
churches were full. Indulgences were sold. Those doing penitence flogged themselves and
crawled to be certain they had paid their debts for sin. Midnight December 31, 999 came
and went and WE ARE STILL HERE!
I am certain we have the message by now. I am
running out of time and energy to pursue this, so I will jump about 500 years. Again,
remember that I am skipping hundreds of failed false predictions.
(Pentecost, 1528 AD)
Hans Hut decided that this would be the day for
the Lord to come. He gathered 144,000 "saints" together for the event. Hans Hut
and his 144,000 experienced nothing that day except a waste or time, and WE ARE STILL
HERE! And it is déjà vu all over again!
(London, 1656 AD)
It was decided that Noah's Flood occurred 1,656
BC. Therefore, it stood to reason that the next destruction would come 1,656 AD.
Naturally, the year came and the year went and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(1665 - 1666 AD)
It was the time of the Bubonic Plague (Black
Plague). Surely this was the end and just look at the date! Undoubtedly this was it! The
Christians rejoiced to see the sores and boils on those damned sinners. That was until
they, the Christians, got them too. Come to find out, it was flea bites causing the
problem and not God. The Plague came and went and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(1809 AD)
I gotta give you this one. A fortune-teller named
Mary Bateman found a innovative way to determine the end of the world. It was not by
divine inspiration or astrological signs or even by an out of the body experience. Mary
had a (not a little lamb), but a magic chicken. This chicken could pop out prophetic eggs.
An egg came out and written on the egg was the message to Mary that the end of the world
was about to happen. It caused a "stir" and people began to "scramble"
to Mary's house for a word from the prophetic chicken. One day Mary was caught shoving an
egg the wrong way up the chicken. Mary was later hung (not for this, she poisoned a man),
but WE ARE STILL HERE!
(England, 1814 AD)
Joanna Southcott convinced people that she was a
prophetess, an exorcist, a healer, and the wife of Jesus Christ. Her message was the end
of the world. Joanna literally sold people a "ticket to paradise" for 21
shillings. That ticket guaranteed the holder salvation, but space was limited to 144,000.
Mary was 65 when she announced that she was with child. You guessed it. It was the child
of Jesus Christ. Her followers brought gifts just as did the magi, but after months, no
signs of pregnancy showed. Mary died. An autopsy was performed and guess what? There was
no pregnancy. Mary was hung and her prophetic chicken is dead, but WE ARE STILL HERE!
(1829 AD)
It was in times of magic chickens and pregnant
women with the baby of Jesus and tickets to paradise that John Darby, Edward Irving, and
Henry Drummond put their heads together. They arrived at a new concept called the Pre-Trib
Rapture. Margaret McDonald prophesied the church would be removed before a great
tribulation would soon come upon the entire earth. Darby taught this stuff all over.
Margaret McDonald also prophesied that Robert Owen, a great man was the antichrist. Owen
was a social reformer and is recorded in history as great person and obviously not the
antichrist. However, today the church continues to base its doctrine on these false
predictions. Margaret, John, Edward, and Henry are dead and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(1836 AD John Wesley)
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, discovered
through mathematic methodology that "the time, times and half a time" from
Revelation 12:14 meant that Jesus would be returning in 1836.
(Anytime between March 21, 1843 and March
21, 1844 AD)
William Miller spent eight years studying
scripture. He was convinced that Jesus would return and rapture the saints between the
dates of March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844. Miller was not a very educated person,
non-the-less he was able to persuade about 50,000 people this doctrine. Newspapers
reported people selling or giving away all the possessions. The farmers did not harvest
their crops or plant new crops. The people continued in prayer and told their neighbors
and friends who did not embrace Miller's teaching that they were going to hell. The
Millerites began doing some creative tricks. They would climb into trees and upon roofs
and attempt to time their jumps the time of Christ's return. Without saying, there were
many injuries and deaths related to that practice. When nothing happened the Boston
newspaper's headlines read, "WHAT! - NOT GONE UP YET? - WE THOUGHT YOU'D GONE UP! -
AREN'T YOU GOING UP SOON? - WIFE DIDN'T GO UP AND LEAVE YOU BEHIND TO BURN, DID SHE?"
The Millerites jumped out of trees, but WE ARE STILL HERE!
(October 22, 1844 AD)
Well, we see the stupidity of Christians. See if
this sounds familiar. Miller (above) discovered that he had made a minor mistake in his
calculations. The absolute date would be October 22, 1844. What happened was absolutely
amazing to me. I can hardly believe it, but then, yes I can. On the morning of October 22,
1844, tens of thousands Millerites gathered together waiting to be caught away. They
waited through lunch and through the night. When day dawned the next morning everyone was
still there and today WE ARE STILL HERE! That is one of the most amazing stories. How can
people continue to be so dumb?
(1863 AD)
In 1863 the cult called The Seventh Day
Adventists began to rock. Many of the Millerites became Adventists. They learned not to
declare an exact date, but their doctrine is "soon, real soon." Soon has been
137 years now and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(1874 AD 1881 AD 1914 AD 1918 AD)
This was the beginning of the Jehovah's
Witnesses. Charles Taze Russell announced that 1874 would be the year the world would end.
When the year ended and the world continued to revolve, Russell said that Jesus did come
back. He was invisible. 1874 came and there was no end and WE ARE STILL HERE!
Russell preached that he would never die and
continued to make predictions of the unveiling of the Lord. He began the pyramid numeric
system and came up with the date that Jesus would become visible as 1881. Well, guess
what? Jesus still did not unveil himself. Not to be labeled a false prophet, Russell gave
it one more shot. 1914 would be the date. WWI did break out and the Jehovah's Witnesses
rejoiced because millions of people were being killed, but still no Jesus. Russell would
give it one more attempt. The real date that Jesus would make himself visible would be
1918. Russell never got to see that date because he died. The war passed and other people
rejoiced at its ending. Jesus did not become visible and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(April 22, 1959)
The Branch Davidian was actually founded in the
1930's. We only know of the 1993 story, but there is more. In 1959 they came up with a
teaching that the faithful must be slaughtered, then resurrected and carried away to
heaven. They taught Armageddon. They set the date of pril 22, 1959 as the day Lord would
come and slaughter mankind. They were able to gather live TV cameras for the broadcast,
but nothing happened. WE ARE STILL HERE!
(JUNE 1967 AD)
This was the "Six Day War." Israel
defeated the Egyptian army in six days. This was supposed to be a great sign because it
meant that the Jews controlled Jerusalem. According to Dispensationalist, the temple would
be rebuilt immediately which would bring on the rapture, antichrist, Armageddon, and the
end of the world. The reconstruction of the temple never happened.
(1969 AD)
Charles Manson began a cult named "The
Family." He combined Beatle music and Dispensationalism and racism to predict the end
of the world. His teaching was that high-profile people must be numbered and the blame be
placed on blacks. This would begin a race war (his Armageddon) from which he would become
the savior. Manson is in prison and WE ARE STILL HERE!
We have a tendency to say something like,
"But these were mental cases, no one would listen to them." That is not true.
Even today Charles Manson has a following even though he is sentenced to life in prison.
We could say all the previous and those I have not listed were mental. What is so
different about those and the ones we hear today and consider?
(1975 AD)
Heaven's Gate was first the "Human
Individual Metamorphosis" or "HIM" cult. Herff Applewhite, a former music
teacher, opera singer and homosexual, decided that he and others were aliens that had come
to Earth 2000 years earlier in a huge spaceship, leaving their bodies to inhabit those of
historical figures, like Jesus and the Buddha. The reason they came to Earth was to help
the Earthlings. Soon, according to their doctrine, the earth would be destroyed, but
people could avoid this by moving to a higher plane. Once this plane was achieved, they
would be taken to safety by a spaceship. They went about teaching their doctrine and
actually found over a thousand devoted ones who also decided they too were aliens. They
gathered together in a field and awaited their long anticipated ride to heaven. Of course,
nothing happened. The group, for the time, fell apart, and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(1975-1979 AD)
Herbert W. Armstrong of the World Wide Church of
God, not to be confused with other Church of God churches, found that through a
complicated numbering system (too complex to attempt to explain here, if interested go to http://www.geocities.com:80/Athens/Oracle/9941/index.html
for details) , the world would end in the last half of the 1970's. Again, any calendar
prediction is futile. When people attempt to predict the end of the world or anything of
the sort according to the calendar, smile at them, nod and get your money back. Armstrong
is dead and buried, the world did not end, and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(November 18, 1978 AD)
Jim Jones had an initial message of inter-racial
harmony, , but his message changed into a message of Doomsday. It was because of the
Doomsday teaching that nearly 1,000 people of the People's Temple church moved to
Jamestown, Guyana. Jones said the world would be judged and they must move to Guyana to
avoid the Apocalypse. They did and their end of the world did come on November 18, 1978
when 919 people committed suicide by drinking poisoned Kool-Aid. Jones is dead and buried
and WE ARE STILL HERE!
The Doomsday teaching always seems to attract and then control and then
destroy people. We have seen destruction in lives from jumping out of trees to selling or
giving away possessions to suicide. We will see that Jim Jones employed doomsday teaching
along with the Solar Temple in Canada and David Koresh in Texas. It is employed today by
preachers to control their people with fear of impending doom. There is nothing good about
Doomsday teaching.
(1979 AD)
Reginald Dunlop published a book titled "FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS! --
GOD'S MESSAGE FOR SURVIVAL -- NO TIME TO SPARE! --IMMINENT END TIME DESTRUCTION!!!"
There was no retraction when nothing happened. And WE ARE STILL HERE!
(1980 AD)
Hal Lindsey said, "This man (antichrist) is alive today - alive
and waiting to come forth."
(Sometime in the 1980's)
Jeane Dixon, a psychic predictor, forecasted that in the 1980's a comet
would strike Earth. Jeane Dixon died in 1997 and WE ARE STILL HERE Earth and everything!
(1981 AD)
Chuck Smith wrote a book titled "Future Survival" which
predicted a 1981 coming of Jesus. Chuck Smith is a Pastor in California today. One wonders
why they are not required to reimburse people their money with interest and mailing
expenses when they teach heresy.
(December 31, 1981 AD)
Hal Lindsey, declared by Paul Crouch to be the "end time
guru," wrote a book titled, "The Late, Great Planet Earth." In that book
Lindsey said that the Rapture would happen no later than 1981. Lindsey was hung-up on the
year 1948 because the "fig tree" had blossomed and everyone knew the fig tree
was the nation of Israel. The great tribulation must come within 40 years because that was
a Biblical generation. Because there would be a seven year tribulation, the rapture must
happen by the end of 1981. Lindsey was able to employ his ability to make the events of
Revelation's seals, vials, and trumpets into nuclear warfare. He was able to use some
technical information to mislead readers into believing him. Of course, nothing happened
in 1981 or 1888.
What is amazing about Lindsey is he continues to write books and have
television programs and appearances and people continue to buy his books and listen to
him. I am amazed in two ways. First that people do that, and second that he does not have
the decency to stop making his false prophecies. What does not amaze me is that WE ARE
STILL HERE!
(1982 AD)
Pat Robertson, we forget, predicted that in 1982 the Soviet Union would
invade Israel. That invasion would be the beginning of the nuclear war called Armageddon
and the end of the Earth. Two billion people would die. Of course nothing happened. Pat
Robertson simply ran for President in 1988. Guess what, WE ARE STILL HERE!
(1985 AD)
Lester Sumrall wrote a book titled, "I Predict 1985" which of
course, stated without doubt that the end of the world would come in 1985. He later
published a new book titled, "I Predict 2000." As of today Lester, WE ARE STILL
HERE!
(1988 AD)
Colin Deal published "Christ Returns by 1988: 101 Reasons
Why." The message given is apparent, but no truth to it even if there were 101
reasons all 101 reasons were wrong.
(September 11-13, 1988 AD)
Edgar Whisenant, a retired NASA engineer, published his book, "88
Reasons The Rapture Is In '88'" which taught the obvious. Whisenant used his
mathematical abilities learned at NASA to predict the exact date for the return of Jesus
which would be September the 11-13, 1988. Whisenant said, "Only if the Bible is in
error am I wrong, and I say that unequivocally."
These are the kind of things that make Christians look dumb, but then
maybe . . . well, if I have been recording the acts of "Christians" we are dumb.
We are dumb to do this stuff and we are dumb to allow it to be done. Anyway, WE ARE STILL
HERE!
(September 11-12, 1988 AD)
The Trinity Broadcasting Network was so certain that the rapture would
happen that it canceled its regular programing showing instead videos to instruct the left
behind unbelievers. All of the Dispensational gurus who had visited the program had
declared this day to be the day. Nothing happened and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(1989 AD)
Edgar Whisenant published his new book titled, "89 Reasons The
Rapture Is In '89." Go figure! He had said, "Only if the Bible is in error am I
wrong, and I say that unequivocally." He was obviously wrong (or the Bible is wrong)
and he has the insolence to, without blinking, write another book saying the same dumb
thing for one year later which did not happen either! What is wrong with
"Christians?" It doesn't matter how many times he predicts it or when WE ARE
STILL HERE!
(1990)
Dave Hunt said, "Somewhere, at this very moment, on plant earth,
the antichrist is almost certainly alive - biding his time, awaiting his cue. Already a
mature man, he is probably active in politics, perhaps even an admired world leader whose
name is almost daily on everyone's lips"
(January 1991)
The Persian Gulf War began giving the false prophet gurus more
ammunition to forecast the end of the world and Armageddon. However it wasn't and WE ARE
STILL HERE!
(1992 AD)
Dorthy Miller published her book titled, "Watch and Be Ready:
Nineteen Ninety Two Millions Disappear." It was the year the "last trump"
was to sound and Jesus would come and rapture the church. WE ARE STILL HERE!
(1993 AD)
Benny Hinn prophesied that 1993 would be the year of the rapture of the
church. Hinn also said that two years after the rapture, God would destroy the
homosexuals. Well, homosexuals are still here and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(April 19, 1993 AD)
David Koresh resided at a piece of property named "Ranch
Apocalypse." We remember the story. Koresh and the Branch Davidian sect was
stock-piling weapons and there were reports of child abuse. Koresh had been preaching the
imminent end of the world for years. He set the date at 1995. The invasion of the FBI
speeded the date and the Branch Davidian Armageddon came. Today there are surviving
members of the Branch Davidian who believe that Koresh will be resurrected. They have even
set dates. Until then, WE ARE STILL HERE!
(Thursday, June 9, 1994)
Pastor John Hinkle of Christ Church said that God had spoken to him and
that on June 9, 1994 he would remove all evil from the world. UMMM, did I miss something?
All I know is WE ARE STILL HERE!
(October 1994 AD)
Solar Temple, taught a mythology Doomsday mixing Christianity with New
Age, astrology, and UFO's. 52 people were found burned, poisoned, suffocated, stabbed and
shot in Canada and in Switzerland. This is another prime example of preaching doom to
control. That control destroys.
(February 24, 1997)
It was decided that the signing of the Israeli and Palestinian Peace
Accord (signed in 1993) was the first day of the 1260 days that Revelation 11:3 speaks of
as the days of the witnesses. Armageddon was to begin after those days passed. They are
still waiting and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(March 23-26, 1997 AD)
The Heaven's Gate leader, Marshall Herff Applewhite, though not
raptured in 1975 by a space ship, did not slow down. He preached immortality, but had a
problem when Ti, his female leader died with cancer. Applewhite simply said that she had
left her earthly body and went to a higher plane. The group began attracting some computer
literates and began doing web sites. They also used the web to preach their space ship
alien doctrine. Applewhite continued to speak about the soon doom of Earth. It was at this
time the Hale-Bopp comet came through. Applewhite said there was a space ship trailing the
comet. They made a final video tape to send out to their friends and families, put the
tapes in the mail, ate some poisoned apple-sauce, and the 39 people laid down waiting to
be beamed up. They were not and WE ARE STILL HERE!
(October 1997)
Kenneth Hagin, renowned faith teacher and leader of the "faith
camp," said the End would come October 1997 and would begin in St. Louis, Missouri.
Faith or no faith or wrong faith, WE ARE STILL HERE!
(May 31, 1998 AD)
Bible Code finder Peter Hader cracked the New Testament Bible code that
had been encrypted for two millennia. He called his code B-Code and even after May 31,
1998 came and went, but we stayed, Hader said his code was still genuine. And WE ARE STILL
HERE!
(1999 AD)
Jack Van Impe has been talking the rapture, tribulation, Armageddon,
millennium, and stuff for awhile, has made himself a very wealthy man doing his prediction
of doom. In 1990, Van Impe produced a video named "A.D. 2000...The End?"
According to Impe, the rapture would happen in 1992 and Armageddon would happen seven
years later of course, in 1999. He sold it for a mere $24.95 plus shipping and handling
naturally. Jack is still on television selling his books, videos, and garbage and WE ARE
STILL HERE!
(1999-2000)
Jerry Falwell said the antichrist was alive and making plans to take
over. Falwell went on to say that the antichrist was a Jew! He had to apologize for that
statement. Until then WE ARE STILL HERE! And it is déjà vu all over again!
(August 6, 1999)
The Branch Davidians said that David Koresh would rise from the dead to
judge the sins of all people. I haven't seen David, nor heard from him. Have you? And, you
got it, WE ARE STILL HERE!
Why do we separate David Koresh from say a Jerry Falwell or a Jack Van
Impe? Is it because one has a television program and another does not? At least one is
willing to die for their beliefs and I am not certain that Jack is willing. I know that
David was willing. The truth is they are all false prophets spewing out garbage that
damaged or damage lives everyday. It was this filth that Jesus despised. Why don't we?
(September 9, 1999)
As was the year June 6, 666 and September 9, 999, so was 9-9-99. The
computers were to go berserk with all those 9's. However, the way it came up on my
computer was 09-09-99 and nothing happened and WE ARE STILL HERE!
We can't go without mentioning Rod Parsley and Kenneth Copeland and Jerry Sevel and Hagee who have told us and purposefully led us to believe that Jesus may be here tomorrow. They say you may not have the opportunity to finish your next breath. They cause us to believe that the end is upon us and Armageddon and tribulation and all sorts of hell are just around the corner. It's déjà vu all over again! If all that is "just around the corner" it's been a huge corner! I have heard all the garbage I can handle. I have spent the last several days and many hours studying and "wading knee deep through" the absolute dung proceeding out of the mouth of so called church leaders and prophets. I want to spit. Yet, "believer" continue to listen and fear and wonder if perhaps they are correct. Why? Do we learn anything from history? They have activated every formula, jumped out of every tree, checked out every chicken's egg, and looked at every space ship. They have added, multiplied, divided, and subtracted every pyramid number system. They have exhausted every calendar and every feast from the flood until the Persian Gulf War. Please, discontinue being frightened and enjoy the kingdom of abundance that Jesus came to give (Joh 10:10) It "ain't gonna happen." We Are Still Here and It's Da'ja' vu all over again!.
1. "Montanism," Microsoft® Encarta® 98 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.