The May 21 Rapture Mistake

Q

I read the news about a man named Harold Camping saying that the rapture would happen on May 21, 2011. He predicted wrong last September 1994, says he calculated wrong, but now says he is correct. I know his prediction is not scriptural, because the Bible says no one knows the day or hour. I’d like your opinion about this.

A

By now everyone knows Mr. Camping was mistaken. Those who understand rapture timing knew from the beginning that the rapture could have happened on the 21st, but not because of Mr. Camping’s calculations, which required a substantial re-interpretation of Scripture. We knew the rapture can happen any day now. May 21st was just one possibility. Personally I wish it had happened when he said it would.

By the way, some form of the phrase “no man knows the day or hour” can be found in Matt. 24:36, 42,44,50, and 25:13, with a parallel reference in Mark 13:32. It always pertains to the 2nd Coming, and never to the rapture.