Sabbath 12/2/34/120                                                                                                     

Dear Friends,

We were asked for comment on the validity of the current basis for the prophecy re the rapture on 21 May 2011 and the subsequent end of the world five months later on 21 October 2011.  An example is to be seen at http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/may21/.

The writer had not read the basis of the argument previously. However, it is appropriate that some comments are made to refute this error.

Not one date in the article explaining the basis is correct or even close to being correct. They are so far away from the Bible sequence and timings as to be completely ludicrous and anyone giving the items any credence whatsoever has no knowledge of the Bible texts and time frame and is as deluded as the people making these absurd claims.

For example, compare these times against the Bible texts and the charts of the Bible texts in the paper Outline Timetable of the Age (No. 272) at http://www.ccg.org/english/s/p272.html.

The paper on the Outline Timetable of the Age discloses that there are in fact two distinct time frames as a result of the Septuagint (LXX) and the Masoretic Text (MT). The MT is much less than the LXX, which is accepted as being altered in the translations in Egypt as a result of external influences on the translators.

The KJV and all other Bibles are based on the MT and not the LXX. All authorities dealing with the KJV at its introduction, and the MT, usually agree that the text begins the creation of this age in 4004 BCE. It is utterly impossible for the MT or the LXX to be of the dates and age presented in this absurd view which has the creation at 11,013 BC (sic).

The article and the argument rest on endless false premises, incorrect theology and outright misrepresentation of biblical fact.

This text is quoted directly from a web site advancing the matter. Comments are placed in the text itself.

“(ALLEGED) “TIMING OF IMPORTANT EVENTS IN HISTORY “

“11,013 BC—Creation.  God created the world and man (Adam and Eve).”

The claim is utterly impossible according to the Bible texts both LXX and MT. No Bible scholar would advance or accept such a view. The MT chronology is at 4004 BCE and the LXX has the creation at 5429 BCE.

“4990 BC—The flood of Noah’s day.  All perished in a worldwide flood.  Only Noah, his wife, and his 3 sons and their wives survived in the ark (6023 years from creation).”

This date is not possible for either the LXX or the MT. The flood occurred in the year 2348 BCE from the Creation in 4004 BCE in the MT or the year 3187 BCE from the creation in 5429 BCE for the LXX (272 ibid.)

“7 BC—The year Jesus Christ was born (11,006 years from creation).” 

No proof is offered for this assertion of the date 7 BCE. The year of Christ’s birth is not known but it occurred somewhere between 12 BCE at the earliest and the year 5/4 BCE with the date in January 4 BCE as the absolute latest possible date as Herod died between 1 and 13 Nisan 4 BCE. The argument is examined in the paper Christ’s Age at Baptism and the Duration of his Ministry (No. 019).

“33 AD—The year Jesus Christ was crucified and the church age began (11,045 years from creation; 5023 calendar years from the flood).”

This date of 33 CE is a Trinitarian assertion based on the false assertion that Christ was crucified on a Friday in accordance with the pagan Easter system. On no year that it was even remotely possible that Christ could have been crucified could Christ have been crucified on a Friday. It uses the false premise that the modern Jewish or Hillel Calendar with its postponements was in use at the Temple and we know that it was not in use as it did not come into existence until 358 CE. Christ was crucified on Wednesday 5 April 30 CE.

The basis of the timings is examined in the paper Timing of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection (No. 159).

The next assertion is even more vague and specious.

“1988 AD—This year ended the church age and began the great tribulation period of 23 years (13,000 years from creation).”

There is no biblical evidence offered for this assertion.

“1994 AD—On September 7th, the first 2300-day period of the great tribulation came to an end and the latter rain began, commencing God’s plan to save a great multitude of people outside of the churches (13,006 years from creation).”

There is no evidence for such an assertion. The 2300 evenings and mornings date from the Battle of the Granicus and are explained in Daniel. The timings are explained in the paper Advent of Messiah Part I (210A).

“2011 AD—On May 21st, Judgment Day will begin and the rapture (the taking up into heaven of God’s elect people) will occur at the end of the 23-year great tribulation.  On October 21st, the world will be destroyed by fire (7000 years from the flood; 13,023 years from creation).”

This bizarre assertion ignores the whole concept of the six working days of the age and the Seventh day or Sabbath rest of the rule of Messiah from Jerusalem explained in Revelation chapter 20, which quite clearly shows that the Resurrection of the Dead is in two phases and the saints of the First Resurrection are not raptured anywhere but go to Jerusalem and rule with Christ for a thousand years, and then the entire Resurrection of the dead occurs in the Second Resurrection at the end of the Millennium (see the paper Resurrection of the Dead (No. 143)). See also the paper The Millennium and the Rapture (No. 095).

The 1000-year millennial reign of Christ is yet to occur. It commences from the end of the 6000 years of Satan which is the 120th jubilee in 2027.

The rest of the article is completely misinformed and understands nothing of theology and the Bible plan or structure. On 21 May 2011 these theological midgets will be exposed as they should be and the world will laugh once again because the Bible and the word of God are held up to public ridicule through the incompetence of a few and the stupidity and gullibility of thousands.

Wade Cox