Here are the answers to the “Armageddon Now!?” quiz:
1. Martin, Bishop of Tours, c. 300 AD
2. Thomas Muntzer, radical Anabaptist, 1520
3. Clarence Larkin, dispensationalist false prophet, 1918
4. Ronald Reagan, U.S. president (1981-89), 1971
5. Hal Lindsey, chronic false prophet, 1980
Endtime nuttiness has been around for as long as the New Testament church has existed. The first most popular prophecy nut was the heretic Montanus who predicted that Jesus would come back to set up his earthly kingdom in Phrygia (present-day Turkey) about 150 AD. In the mold of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (Second Coming in 1874, 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1975), Hal Lindsey has revised his first book (1970), The Late Great Planet Earth, many times over to justify his continuing failed prophecies. Undoubtedly too, the authors and publishers of Left Behind (15 books) dispensationalist hysteria see every major Middle East crisis, like the present one, as an opportunity to fatten their coffers.
In contrast, there’s not one modern Reformed amillennialist who venture into this endtime nuttiness, which scoffers use as ammunition against Biblical teaching on the Second Coming of Christ.
What think ye?
5 Comments
This is cool cuz’ it proves that Bush believes in the providence and sovereignty of God–he’s reformed too!
God’s time is the best time; and, it is not for us to tell him when that is.
Why date-set at all? Christians are not commanded to observe times and seasons. Rather, we are expected, nay, commanded to preach the saving grace of the Lord until He comes.
I think the best bet is to be a panmillennialist – just know it will all pan out in the end!!
I think it is ok to keep one eye on the newspaper and one on the Scriptures. But to set dates on Christ’s return is NOT a good idea!