Posted on 03/13/2024 5:15:29 PM PDT by grumpa
Hal Lindsey’s book “The Late Great Planet Earth,” written in 1970, sold over 28 million copies. Gullible Christians got sucked into Lindsey’s soon end-of-the world poppycock. As time has passed without his version of Armageddon taking place, we can now objectively analyze where Lindsey went wrong:
• Lindsey (p. 54, 181), like other dispensationalists, placed the beginning of the end with Israel becoming a nation in 1948. He thought all prophecy would be fulfilled within a 40-year generation (Matthew 24:34). But 1988 came and went, proving him to be a false prophet. (This should be adequate proof that 1948 has nothing to do with Bible prophecy.)
• Lindsey (p. 44) prophesied a 7-year, world-wide, tribulation. He got this from Revelation 11 which speaks of the “holy city” being trampled for 42 months—and “two witnesses prophesying” for 1,260 days. He simply adds both of these 3 ½-year periods together to get 7 years (of tribulation). There is NO indication in the text that this is a valid interpretation. He was reading something speculative into the text that is not there. Indeed, there is no passage in the Bible that clearly teaches a 7-year tribulation. Further, Jesus limited the time of the trampling of Jerusalem to his own generation (Luke 21:20-22, 32). Interestingly, the final assault on Jerusalem by the Roman army under Titus lasted 42 months from February AD 67 to August AD 70. This is strong supporting evidence for the Great Tribulation being fulfilled at the Jewish-Roman War ending with the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70.)
• Lindsey (p. 87, etc.) saw the existence of nuclear weapons as an important sign of the end times. However, Jesus taught that the so-called “end times” would be when God’s people would “fall by the edge of the sword” (Luke 21:24). Jesus’ prophecies were about ancient warfare, not modern nuclear weapons. The context of this prophecy by Jesus was about the coming destruction of the temple (Luke 21:6). Jesus told his listeners that it would happen when THEY saw Jerusalem surrounded by armies (Luke 21:20), in THEIR generation (Luke 21:32). This all happened when the Roman armies invaded Jerusalem in AD 67-70.
• Lindsey (p. 56-57) said, “It is certain that the Temple will be rebuilt. Prophecy demands it.” Problem is, not a single verse of the Bible can be mustered to support a future rebuilding of the temple. This idea is merely an invention of dispensationalists to try to justify their theory.
• Lindsey (p. 88, 124) even makes this astounding prediction: “The prophetic Scriptures tell us that the Roman Empire will be revived shortly before the return of Christ to this earth. A new Caesar will head this empire.” It’s hard to believe anyone took this charlatan Lindsey seriously.
• Lindsey (p. 108), in speaking of the Antichrist, “He will have a magnetic personality, be personally attractive, and a powerful speaker. He will be able to mesmerize an audience with his oratory.” But the Antichrist is never mentioned in Revelation, let alone any such description of him. The Antichrist is only mentioned in John’s epistles, which say that the Antichrist was already in the world when John was writing (1 John 4:3). Indeed, John taught that it was already the “last hour” as he wrote (1 John 2:18). If you believe John was an inspired writer, this precludes any future fulfillment.
• Lindsey (p. 125, 126) said that modern drug addiction and witchcraft is evidence of the “sorceries” of Revelation 9:21. He quoted a TV station that “Nearly every respectable high school these days has its own witch.” (Besides the obvious problem of nonsense, Revelation itself teaches that it is about things that MUST SHORTLY TAKE PLACE (Revelation 1:1; 22:6). Indeed, there are over 30 passages in Revelation that reiterate that its fulfillment was “near,” “soon,” or “about to happen.”
• Lindsey said that we should take the Bible literally (p. 176). Obviously, he doesn’t take the over 100 imminence statements literally—that biblical prophecy would be fulfilled SOON, AT HAND, BEFORE SOME IN THE FIRST CENTURY HAD DIED, IN THEIR GENERATION, etc. (Matthew 10:23; 16:27-28; 24:34; Luke 21:22; Acts 2:14-20; Hebrews 1:2; 10:37; 1 Peter 4:7, 17; etc., etc.)
• Lindsey (p. 133) said that the Harlot Babylon is some future one-world religious system “clothed in purple and scarlet.” But, Revelation itself teaches that Babylon is “the great city” (Revelation 18:10) upon whom wrath was to come. The Great City Babylon is clearly identified as Jerusalem (Revelation 11:8)! Further, purple and scarlet are the colors of the ritual dress of the high priest (Exodus 28:5-6; 39:1-2). So, the evidence supports the view that Revelation is about God’s judgment on Old Covenant Israel.
• Lindsey thought that Revelation was written in 95 AD. But there are some two dozen clues within Revelation that it was written prior to AD 70. Revelation refers to events that match the historical record of the Jewish-Roman War of AD 66-70. The book was written DURING the “tribulation” per Revelation 1:9, apparently while the temple was still standing per Revelation 11:1, and during the reign of the sixth emperor of Rome per Revelation 17:10—that is, Nero who died in AD 68. Over 130 scholars have been identified as holding to the pre-AD 70 date of Revelation.
• Lindsey (p. 164) thought the Day of the Lord predicted in the book of Joel is in our future. But the inspired apostle Peter taught that Joel’s prediction was being fulfilled in his own day (Acts 2:14-20).
• Lindsey (p. 179) taught that the “elements” of 2 Peter 3 that would be destroyed refer to the “most basic element of nature”—thus the physical universe. But EVERY TIME in the New Testament that the word “elements” (Greek, stoicheion) is used, it refers to the elements of the old covenant (Galatians 4:3, 9; Colossians 2:8, 20-22; Hebrews 5:12-13). So, what was to be destroyed? — the old covenant, not the physical universe (Hebrews 8:13).
• Lindsey (p. 180, 181) references Daniel 12 as predicting the end of the world. But Daniel 12 itself says that the “TIME OF THE END” would be when the power of the holy people would be shattered and the daily sacrifices for sin taken away. That clearly happened in AD 70 with the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple. Daniel 12 could not be clearer.
• Lindsey (p. 176) taught, as do all premillennialists, that Christ will establish a literal, physical kingdom on earth. But Jesus said that his kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36).
I could go on. But this is enough to demonstrate that Hal Lindsey is a deceiver and a false prophet. Lindsey is reported to be worth $42 million, which is, apparently, after his first three wives got their share. (He is married to his fourth wife.) Hal Lindsey has not only bilked millions of people out of their money, he has made a mockery of Christianity.
Dispensationalism was born in 1830 with John Nelson Darby. It died in 1988 when their prophecies failed to materialize in “that generation.” Rest in peace.
One thing we do know, Hal Lindsey sold a lot of books.
oh look
ANOTHER BASH post....
youre a coward.
like an old gossip talking crap about “ those “ awful people.
accuser of the brethern is what you are
why dont you post about what YOU believe in ?
no, you bash.
sad , dude.
And I guess somehow you think attacking Lindsey will bring others closer to God. Sorry, but your screed does the opposite for me.
Why post against Dispensationalism? It’s a different gospel. Truth matters. And PS—for what I believe go to the link.
Sorry, but your screed does the opposite for me.
Are you going to ignore the evidence?
I spent a lot of time in my younger years worrying about the world’s end times. Then I realized that is far more important that I worry about my personal “end times” and getting right with Jesus.
Just allegorize everything and you can make up your own Bible.
We can trust you to be the arbiter of truth.
The late Irvin Baxter of Endtime had it correct. We are nowhere near the end.
His son in law runs the show now and is on par with Brother Baxter.
It’s a good show. 3pm weekdays live. Or youtube.
HISTORY OF FALSE PROPHETS
In every generation after the apostles, there have been Christians who mistakenly believed that they were in the last days. They have thought that their generation was the one Jesus spoke of when He prophesied that “all these things” would happen in “this generation.” Failed prognosticators have been a persistent embarrassment to Christianity.
End Times speculation holds a particular fascination for American evangelicals who are wrapped up in rapture theology. They curiously find hope in an expected destruction of the planet and its replacement with a utopia in which carnivorous animals will take up vegetarianism. It is simply taken for granted that the Bible predicts an end of time, and that there is no number of elapses centuries spent waiting for it that cannot be called “the end times.”
Francis Gumerlock, in his book THE DAY AND THE HOUR: CHRISTIANITY’S PERENNIAL FASCINATION WITH PREDICTING THE END OF THE WORLD, lists end-times prophecy predictions made by Christians, beginning with the apostolic fathers.
For example, Ignatius writes around the year AD 100 that “the last times are come upon us.” Cyprian (200-258) writes that “the day of affliction has begun to hang over our heads, and the end of the world and the time of the Antichrist. . . draw near, so that we must all stand prepared for the battle.”
Christopher Columbus wrote a book entitled BOOK OF PROPHECIES in which he called on many of the same passages of Scripture that false prophets cite today to predict the imminent end of the world. He apparently thought that his discoveries marked the beginning of the end.
Martin Luther made this statement: “I am satisfied that the last day must be before the door; for the signs predicted by Christ and the Apostles Peter and Paul have now all been fulfilled, the trees put forth, the Scriptures are green and flourishing. . . . We certainly have nothing now to wait for but the end of all things.”
Here are just a few more modern examples of end-times dating from Christians as well as pseudo-Christian cultists:
—Ellen G. White (co-founder—Seventh Day Adventist Church): 1843, 1844, 1850, 1856.
—Joseph Smith (founder—Mormon Church): 1891.
—Jehovah’s Witnesses: 1874, 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975, and 1984.
—Hal Lindsey: 1982, 1988, 2007, with contingency dates going as far as 2048.
—Jack Van Impe: 1975, 1992, 2000, 2012.
—Chuck Smith (founder of Calvary Chapel): before 1981
—Pat Robertson: 1982, 2007.
—Edgar C. Whisenant: 1988, 1989.
—Bill Maupin: 1988.
—Charles R. Taylor: 1992.
—Benny Hinn: 1993.
—Grant R. Jeffrey: 2000.
—Lester Sumrall: 1985, 1986, 2000.
—Kenneth Hagin: 1997 to 2000.
—Jerry Falwell: 2010.
—John Hagee (at age 71): before he dies.
―John Walvoord: before he died (He died in 2002)
—Harold Camping: 1994, 2011.
—Perry Stone: 2009-2015
—Billy Graham: Even this venerable preacher began telling us in the 1930’s to expect the soon return of Christ.
Pastors all across America’s fruited plains have books of some of these authors proudly displayed in their office libraries. Money continues to flow to these authors and many others of the same ilk. Whenever you happen to be reading this, you will probably be hearing from a new generation of false teachers.
Perhaps there is something fundamentally wrong with these predictions. All of these prognosticators had something in common: They all thought they knew better than Jesus, who over and over told his followers that his prophecies would come to pass while some of them were still alive (Matthew 10:23; 16:27-28; 26:64; Luke 21:22, 32; John 21:22; etc.) Along with the New Testament writers, there are over 100 time-statements in the New Testament that limit fulfillment of prophecy to the first century (Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 John 2:18; etc.).
Here are more failed predictions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictions_and_claims_for_the_Second_Coming_of_Christ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dates_predicted_for_apocalyptic_events
I agree. Perhaps looking “up” for the rapture, we should get busy to prepare the World for His coming. Sadly, prophecy had been taught ad fire insurance. As you say, get right with God and you will see him. In the meantime, share your generosity with others.
3 and 1/2 years after the 7 year peace treaty between Isreal and Palestine will be the Abomination of Desolation ( when the ac reveals himself).
https://youtube.com/shorts/YUAh-7890yI?si=Dt6xE78xarWz_9ZU
While there is a small nugget of truth in your argument, there is a mountain of evidence to the contrary that you cannot explain.
you proud of that ?.
your pretrerism is a doctrine of demons
that the truth that people need to know
you are a coward, that when i confronted you with proof that you are wrong, instead of a rebuttal
.you ignored it and ran for the hills
i.e. a rank coward .
you said there is no distinction between israel and the church and when i proved you dead wrong with 2 scripture verses , one in Daniel and one in Matthew
like a coward you ran from my rebuttal and just acted like you weren't proven wrong
you are a false teacher
you are a heretic
you are exactly what you accuse us of
just like the perv reprobate commie left.
sad.
repent while there is still time broham.
otherwise you will hear
” i never knew you”
Wow-
In a country where most people don’t even know what dispensationalism is, you find people writing a fact based retrospective After Action Review.
Sadly for many churches, many of these ideas have been incorporated and they in part persist even today among many Christians especially in the US.
That is why doctrine and tradition matter. It should ward off / resist the incorporation of herecy based on the idea that 1) the Bible has a flaw in it and we figured out what that is. 2) Someone had a vision and wants to add to the Bible. 3) People for 2,000 years just had it wrong. Let me show you how to really interpret XYZ. 4) Some modern (paradigm) that has not Christian connection in reality gets incorporated into the church (socialism, feminism, animal rights, LGBTQIA, climate change, a drug lord saint...) These are the 3 basic origins in most herecy you have today in Christianity.
Intellectual debate about the Second Coming.
Joe Biden talked about bringing Benjamin Netanyahu to a “Come to Jesus” the meeting last week.
At the rate Biden is going better get ready for the Lord to arrive IMHO.
War In The Middle East War With Russia In Ukraine War With China?
Regardless the Higher Power wants me doing the right thing in the moment I am living whatever His ultimate plans.
This really is a useless exercise in carping or grumping. At least these folks were in the arena and did the best they could with the data they had at the time. The question is when Jesus comes will he find you watching or sleeping?
4 not 3 reasons.
Typing on a phone keyboard.
Accuser of the Brothers
Placemarker
There’s a reason He said this:
So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ~ Mathew 24:26
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