Nashville Billboards Claim Jesus Will return May 21, 2011In 1978, Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel, wrote to his followers that he believed that "man has come to the end of his time."[2] Smith postulated, "If I understand scripture correctly... I believe that the generation of 1948 is the last generation.... I believe the Lord could come back for His Church any time before the Tribulation starts, which would mean any time before 1981."[3]
Smith supported his convictions again in his 1980 manuscript "Future Survival," postulating that from his "understanding of biblical prophecies... [I am] convinced that the Lord [will come] for His Church before the end of 1981." He identified that he "could be wrong" but continued in the same sentence that "it’s a deep conviction in my heart, and all my plans are predicated upon that belief." [4][5][6]
Explanation and defense:
Hal Lindsey.
In his book The Late, Great Planet Earth (1970), Lindsey also predicted a 1981 rapture of the
church and a 1988 date for the second coming of Christ. By 1978, he had sold over 9 million
copies of the book. By 1990, he had sold over 28 million copies.
Edgar Whisenant.
Following Lindseyʼs lead (and perhaps just trying to cash in on the churchʼs obsession),
Whisenant published his booklet 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988. He said,
“Only if the Bible is in error am I wrong, and I say that to every preacher in town.” He went as
far as saying that Jesus would appear during Rosh Hashanah of that year, somewhere
between Sept.11-13, 1988. He sold over 4.5 million copies of his book.
Following Lindseyʼs lead (and perhaps just trying to cash in on the churchʼs obsession),
Whisenant published his booklet 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988. He said,
“Only if the Bible is in error am I wrong, and I say that to every preacher in town.” He went as
far as saying that Jesus would appear during Rosh Hashanah of that year, somewhere
between Sept.11-13, 1988. He sold over 4.5 million copies of his book.
When Jesus failed to show up by Sept.15 of that year, Whisenant claimed to have
miscalculated his date by one year, due to a nuance in the Gregorian calendar. He changed
his prediction to 1989. Later, he changed his date to 1990, 1991, 1992...you get the picture.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-2
Now, concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need
to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that
the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
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