Implosion by Joel C. Rosenberg

the Hebrew prophet Joel—said the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all mankind around the world in a more dramatic fashion in the last days than ever before. This didn’t have to happen before the Rapture either. Yet it did begin to happen in chapter 2 of the book of Acts, and it has dramatically accelerated in our times.
    Again, while no prophetic sign has to precede the Rapture, that does not mean no sign will occur before the Rapture. This is a critical point. Indeed, as we look at the events of the past century or so—and specifically at events that are occurring here in the twenty-first century—we can see that so many of the prophetic signs related to the last days, the “birth pangs,” have already come true.
    That has significant implications for your life and mine and for the future of the United States.
    How Long Will the Last Days Last?
    The overall length of the period leading up to the second coming of Christ is never defined by the Bible. To the contrary, the Lord Jesus specifically said that “no one knows” when he will return (Matthew 24:36), and it is precisely because we don’t know exactly when he is coming for us that we are to be constantly ready for him—living lives of holiness and purity, being faithful in daily prayer and Bible study, sharing the gospel with others, making disciples of all nations, and so forth. “Therefore be on the alert,” Jesus told his disciples, “for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42).
    One thing we are not supposed to do is guess or set dates with regard to either the Rapture or the Second Coming. To do so is unbiblical, unwise, and evidence of false teaching, which is sternly forbidden in the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” (Matthew 24:36). The apostle John concluded the book of Revelation by warning that when it comes to “the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19).
    Unfortunately, people throughout the centuries have disregarded the clear teaching of the Scriptures and have sought to convince others that they knew when Jesus was coming back. Perhaps some have set dates truly believing they were right. Others have surely been motivated by greed or pride. Either way, they have disobeyed the Bible, misled people, brought ridicule against the church, and caused some to doubt any teaching related to Bible prophecy and the second coming of Christ.
    False Teaching about the Last Days
    A radio host named Harold Camping made headlines in 2011 by publicly predicting that the Rapture would occur on May 21, 2011. The San Francisco Chronicle was the first to pick up the story in January 2010.
    Camping, 88, has scrutinized the Bible for almost 70 years and says he has developed a mathematical system to interpret prophecies hidden within the Good Book. One night a few years ago, Camping, a civil engineer by trade, crunched the numbers and was stunned at what he’d found: The world will end May 21, 2011. . . . Employees at the Oakland office run printing presses that publish Camping’s pamphlets and books, and some wear T-shirts that read, “May 21, 2011.” They’re happy to talk about the day they believe their souls will be retrieved by Christ. “I’m looking forward to it,” said Ted Solomon, 60, who started listening to Camping in 1997. [144]
    Camping then made his prediction even more specific, saying the Rapture would occur at or around 6 p.m. (though he didn’t specify which time zone). [145] His radio network purchased billboards announcing the date all over the country and even some in other countries (I saw one in Israel). People