Second Coming Slip-Ups

Jesus warned in the last days, “…many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” (Matthew 24:11) Among them are individuals who persist in setting dates for the Lord’s return. If only they would learn from the mistakes of others.

1n 1844, a Baptist preacher named William Miller predicted Christ would return on October 22nd of that year. He based that on calculations from the Book of Daniel. Thousands of Millerites sold their possessions expecting to be removed from the earth, but nothing happened. That became known as the Great Disappointment and led to the formation of Adventist denominations.


The Jehovah’s Witnesses have a history of unfulfilled prophecies. Watchtower founder Charles Taze Russell declared Christ returned invisibly in 1874 and the world would end in 1914. His successor Joseph Rutherford falsely predicted the Second Coming would occur in 1918 and then in 1925. The Watchtower later told their followers that 1975 would be the year of the Lord’s return. Again, nothing happened. I’ve tried to warn present-day Jehovah’s Witnesses that they are following a deceitful organization.


The first time I heard the word “rapture” was the title of Blondie’s #1 hit from 1981. A few months later, I read a newspaper article about Christians believing the rapture would happen that year. Once again, nothing happened. Seven years later, former NASA engineer Edgar Whisenant published a book titled “88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988.” It sold over 4.5 million copies. Most of those books were probably tossed in the garbage along with subsequent revisions that falsely predicted the Lord’s return in 1989, 1993, and 1994.


In late 2010, I had an encounter with a date setter in New York City. A woman handed out literature claiming God’s judgment was coming upon the world on May 21, 2011. When she tried handing me a brochure, I asked her, “Doesn’t the Bible say, ‘No man knows the day or hour of the Son of Man’s return?” This woman replied, “That was for the church age” and wanted to debate doctrine with me. I walked away. Titus 3:9 says, “But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.”


I’m sure that woman and others like her were disappointed when they found themselves still on earth on May 22, 2011. Despite a history of other failed prophecies, Christian radio broadcaster Harold Camping (who promoted the May 21 rapture) rescheduled his rapture prediction five months later to October 21, claiming a “spiritual judgment” happened on May 21. Eventually, Camping issued an apology before passing away in 2013.


Unfortunately, some preachers won’t admit their mistakes. I read about one who had the audacity to claim God stopped saving people on May 21, 2011 and there’s “a strong likelihood that October 7, 2015 will be the end of the world.” Of course, that date came and went. As a street evangelist, I’ve seen numerous salvations since then.


I once attended a house meeting where a guest speaker gave reasons why he believed Jesus would come back in 2018. His wife claimed we were already in the tribulation. The preacher later claimed Billy Graham’s film ministry produced “A Thief in the Night.” Since I’m a former employee of World Wide Pictures, I pointed out to him that movie was produced by Mark IV Pictures. The preacher wasn’t apologetic about his mistake and resumed defending his post-tribulation beliefs. I became grieved in my spirit and walked out before the meeting was over.


This year, a South African pastor named Joshua Mhlakela claimed that Jesus revealed to him in a vision the rapture would happen on September 23rd. He must have followed another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4). The church is still on the earth. Some of my friends suggested Mhlakela and his followers send them their money since they would have no use for that. It reminded me of this video I made in response to those who insisted Jesus was coming back on May 21, 2011.


False predictions don’t negate the fact that Jesus is coming back. Are you ready for Him?


“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father..” - Mark 13:32

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