Judgment Day

On June 9th, less than three weeks after his predicted Day of Judgment, Harold Camping suffered a mild stroke. Because it was Mr. Camping’s speech that was affected, which become slurred as a result, many observers considered it too coincidental. They proclaim that his stroke (while tragic) was a divine act of punishment for his false predictions; or at the very least it is a warning not to do it again. Was Harold Camping's stroke punishment from God? Does a loving God punish people if they disobey Him? We, as Christians, believe that God is active in creation and that He takes sin seriously; but is He responsible for the punishment of individuals and groups, nations and churches?

To speculate with some sort of certainty that we know what’s going on when someone has a stroke (or loses their home or wins the lottery) is not something we are able to do. That’s not to say it isn’t helpful for us to ask: Lord, are you up to something here, or Lord, are you trying to teach me something? Too often people rush to connect the dots; focusing on the details rather than understanding the universal reality of God’s plan for our lives. Everyone, including you and I are under God's judgment, but to interpret individual events as punishment or reward is not something we should do.

If Mr. Camping belonged to a church he could seek wisdom from a community of believers as to what God is trying to reveal to him. However, since this Family Radio broadcaster believes the church age is over, it has been and will continue to be difficult for him to discern the Truth that God continually offers each of us. It is entirely appropriate for the general public, including Christians, to respond to and confront Mr. Camping's unbiblical teachings, as long as it is done with humility. What the public should avoid, however, is joining others in mocking him or his ideas as laughable. Although Mr. Camping was wrong about the date, he’s not wrong about the magnitude and seriousness of our relationship with God.

Thankfully, Jesus takes on our punishment if we are benefiting from faith, so what is the correct biblical response to someone like Harold Camping? Our first response should be humility upon the realization that we all deserve judgment and death because of our sin. Rather than being self-righteous toward those who are going through a difficult time, it should be a sobering, humbling repentance that we feel. Secondly, we need to recognize that God's message for us, as it has been revealed in the Bible and Tradition for centuries, is His unconditional Love for us; and because of that Love eternal life. Thirdly, we need to continually pray for individuals and groups, nations and churches. In Mr. Camping's case, we should pray that he will regain his physical health and come to an understanding of God's Truth.