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Well, maybe it’s just me, but whenever I see those two verses cited without any further context it gets my attention, because they are only half of a set of two things being contrasted in that passage. I’m now confident that YOU know both sides of that comparison, but I don’t want anyone who doesn’t know to get any wrong ideas.

I know you were responding (appropriately, I might add) to Camping running around saying he knows the date of the Day of the LORD, and citing vv. 1 & 2 handily refutes the idea that he’s right. But, citing ONLY those two verses CAN leave people under the impression that even Christians will be completely ambushed by the end.

So, I think that, while the point has to be made that nobody knows the day or the hour, I also think it equally important to state the counterpoint: BUT The Church WILL have an idea that the Day of the LORD is imminent.

Because that “BUT” is often omitted, and the following verses left out when vv. 1 & 2 get quoted, there are any number of sincere Christians running around under the misapprehension that they’ll just never have a clue; it’ll all just happen when it happens, and they won’t know it’s about to happen until it’s already happening.

You’d be amazed how many Christians I’ve talked with about indicators of the end times, and they pop off with “Well, nobody knows the day or the hour,” and then are completely floored when I open the Bible and show them vv. 4 & 5 where they read that they WILL have a sense that it’s at hand; they WON’T be in the fog.

And here’s the kicker: because they incorrectly believe they just won’t have any clue, they aren’t even paying attention to the clouds gathering on the distant horizon. They’re not invigorated at the thought that Jesus’ return could be within the next 50, or even 20 years. So, as the economic and geopolitical storms whip up around the globe, all they see are tough times; they have no reason to regard these things with any sense of hope or anticipation. All they see is the temporal, negative headlines; they don’t have in mind that intensifying trials and upheaval may be “the beginning of birth pangs” that presage the actual return of Jesus Christ.

I don’t want any Christian to live like that; I want them all to KNOW that the Bible contains milestones, and indicators, and reference points that give us a timeline of events leading up to The Day of the LORD; and His intent is that we be aware of them, so we have an idea how close it’s getting. NOT so we can give a date, but so we can be appropriately fervent about the gospel.

And THAT is what’s so damaging about foolishness like what Camping has going on: his actions prompt society as a whole, and even Christians in some quarters, to throw the eschatological baby out with the bathwater. Consequently, on May 22nd and following, there will be just that much MORE resistance to talk about the legitimate end time indicators that really DO exist in the Bible, and their implications in light of current events.

“Watch and pray” will still be a wonderful admonition, of course; just so long as you don’t dare imply that there’s anything specific to watch for. And THAT’S a real shame, because Jesus — The Bridegroom God — IS COMING, even though Harold Camping is out to lunch about when.