Articles on the End Times
The Date Setting Follies
John Buttrey II
Are we living in the last days? That seems to be the question of the day in our politically-troubled and morally-challenged world. When one considers the political corruption, the ever-growing immorality, the wars and rumors of war, the violence in our cities, the devaluing and killing of innocent human life, it might seem easy to conclude: The end is near—but is it?
Believing the end must be near a number of people have turned to the popular Bible teachers of our day for answers. Many of these teachers in their plethora of books and sermons on the end-times are confidently convinced: We are living in the last days. Being so convinced, some of these teachers have suggested possible dates and times for the Lord’s return. Sometimes their predictions are very specific, naming an exact day when they believe Jesus will rapture His church. Others take a more general and cautious approach by indicating only an approximate or specific year. Either way, all attempts at setting a date (general or specific) have failed.
The futile practice of a predicting a date for the return of the Lord is nothing new. Viewing world conditions of their day and time many Bible teachers in the past (like those of today) falsely concluded, “The end is near.” Despite numerous embarrassing past failures, the “dating game” continues. This has led to what can only be described as the date setting follies. Each failed attempt is added to an ever-growing list of false end-time warnings and erroneous dates for the Lord’s return.
False predictions not only leave many trusting followers disappointed and disillusioned when the Lord does not return, they also bring shame and embarrassment to the “Christian community.” The world often notices such failures with headline news. Unfortunately, this gives skeptics even more reason for discrediting the Bible. Let it be known to all, it is the persistent date setters who need to be discredited, not the Bible.
Time and space do not allow for a detailed listing of every failed prediction given by so-called “prophecy experts,” and such is not the purpose of this work. However, some notable examples from recent years are offered to demonstrate the folly of trying to set a date for the time of the Lord’s return.
“I Predict…”
Predictions about the timing of various last days events have always been a trademark for certain Bible teachers. The right prediction at the right time and the interest it can generate can mean a big boost in book sales. As such, there is a steady-stream of end-time prognostications hitting the shelves of bookstores. Case in point, Lester Sumrall’s I Predict 1984. In this prophecy-based book he confidently stated, “God spoke to me in rhyme about predictions for 1984.”(1) What did God (supposedly) tell Sumrall? Contained within the pages of this book were predictions of such devastating events as “holocaust in Israel,” volcanoes ripping the earth apart, famine, floods, “the sun will turn black,” and the moon will fail to give its light.(2) Considering the year 1984 saw no fulfillment of these devastating events, clearly it was not God speaking to Sumrall.
Undaunted by the prophetic inaccuracies of I Predict 1984, Sumrall published I Predict 1986. This was a book that included many of the same devastating (but failed) end-time predictions he had earlier published. Once again, there was little or no fulfillment. Yet, despite more predictive failures, I Predict 1986 was followed by I Predict 2000 A.D., a book in which Sumrall wrote, “I predict the absolute fullness of man’s operation on planet Earth by the year 2000 A.D. Then Jesus Christ shall reign from Jerusalem for 1000 years.”(3) Toward the close of the book, Sumrall again emphasized his prediction in bold print: “Remember: I predict 2000 A.D. to be the ultimate day of destiny for planet Earth!”(4)
The Vision
David Wilkerson’s book The Vision described a vision he claimed was from God. Wilkerson wrote, “Deep in my heart I am convinced that this vision is from God, that it is true, and that it will come to pass.”(5) Among the mostly disastrous events that Wilkerson predicted, he stated, “More than one-third of the United States will be designated a disaster area within the next few years…. The haze hanging in the cosmos will turn the moon red and will cause periods of darkness over the earth—almost as though the sun refused to shine.”(6) This vision came in 1973 at which time Wilkerson concluded: “The hour is late and time is getting short.”(7)
Despite Wilkerson’s claims, the many years that have since transpired reveal the vision was not from God. In fairness, it should be noted that some of what Wilkerson predicted actually occurred, but only some. If the vision were truly from God all would have been fulfilled.
Claiming direct prophetic revelation from God is nothing new. This boast has been made many times before and will certainly be made again in support of some end-time prediction. In this way, Marvin Byers wrote, “In 1970 the Lord met with me and my wife in a very precious way. He gave us a glimpse into the future, and a little understanding of His calendar for these last days.”8 What was it the Lord showed Byers and his wife? According to Byres:
If the life of Christ is brought forth by the Woman of Revelation 12 at the end of 1996, and He manifests the Kingdom for three and a half years as a witness to all the world, then the Rapture and His physical return will occur in the year 2000.(9)
Obviously, it was not the Lord meeting with Byers and his wife. As with Sumrall and Wilkerson, God was not revealing any prophetic information to these men. This is seen in the fact that God’s true prophets were never wrong about any detail of their divinely inspired prophecies or visions (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). God said through the prophet Isaiah:
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11).
What the inspired prophets of God spoke, sometimes hundreds of years in advance, happened with incredible accuracy to detail and timing. When events prophesied did not occur, the one who so spoke would be identified as a false prophet.
“You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).
In a similar way, the apostle John instructed his readers:
Beloved do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
Those today who make claims of visions from God need to be tested. If the future events they predict do not occur with precise accuracy in detail and timing, then the words they spoke were not from God.
Jehovah’s False Witness
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has long been known for its date setting failures. Their “prophetic” errors have been cataloged in numerous writings, clearly exposing them as being anything but Jehovah’s witness. The utter failure of their end-time predictions is compounded by their claim of being God’s prophet.
This “prophet” was not one man, but was a body of men and women…. Today they are known as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses…. Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a “prophet” of God. It is another to prove it. The only way that this can be done is to review the record. What does it show?(10)
In this particular instance, the Witnesses are right. The only way to tell a prophet of God is by the accuracy of his prophecies. So let’s take a brief look at the Watchtower’s record as a “prophet.” We begin with the January 1886 issue of Zion’s Watchtower, which stated, “…the marshalling of the hosts for the battle of the great day of God Almighty is in progress while the skirmishing is commencing.”11 Obviously this proved to be a false prediction; however, it was far from being their last.
In 1897, they stated the battle of the great day of God would end in 1915. In 1914, they predicted the battle of Armageddon could begin in the early months of 1915.12 In 1973, the Witnesses stated:
We can be equally sure that, of the generation alive in 1914, some will see the major fulfillment of Christ’s prophecy and the destruction with which it culminates. This means that mankind is now in the most crucial time of its history, when the rule of this earth and of all human affairs will pass from the hands of imperfect political rulers and come to rest with a righteous government of God’s own making.(13)
If God is going to do as the Witnesses claimed He had better hurry, most of the generation that saw the events of 1914 has passed away. In 1968, they were suggesting 1975 as the possible start of Christ’s thousand-year kingdom on earth. Confident of this date, in the October 8, 1968 issue of Awake, The Watchtower wrote:
True, there have been those in times past who predicted an “end to the world,” even announcing a specific date…. Yet nothing happened. The “end” did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing? Missing was the full measure of evidence required in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Missing from such people were God’s truths and the evidence that he was guiding and using them…. Today we have the evidence required, all of it.(14)
Many witnesses at the time were selling their homes and property expecting the Lord to return in 1975—He did not. They were wrong again. According to their own words, they were guilty of false prophesying. Their prophetic error demonstrated that God was not (and is not) with them. Repeatedly the Watchtower Society has set dates and repeatedly they have been wrong. What does the evidence show? It shows beyond any doubt that they are a false prophet (Deut. 18:20-22).
“Jesus is Coming Soon!”
While God’s prophets never failed in the words they spoke, the “experts” have failed repeatedly. Consider, prophecy teacher Charles Taylor. It has been suggested that Taylor may be “The Ultimate Date Setter.”15 In 1975, he published his book Get All Excited Jesus is Coming Soon! Taylor suggested (what he called) overwhelming evidence that September 6, 1975 could be the day of the rapture.(16) In a 1979 Update to this book, Taylor remarked, “We may not have a full five years!”
When 1975 did not produce the rapture, Taylor published Those Who Remain. This time he concluded, “…the evidence strongly indicates that the rapture would need to be 1983 - 7 = 1976. Are you ready to meet the Lord?”(17) When the rapture did not occur in 1976, Taylor issued a revised edition of Those Who Remain, suggesting 1980 was the “possible” year for the Lord to rapture His church.(18) Since 1980 did not prove to be the year of the rapture, Taylor issued yet another book, with yet another date! Taylor wrote:
Since historical records show that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, before Herod the Great died in 4 B.C.; then the return of Jesus to earth should be 2,000 years from that date, which would be in A.D. 1996. Knowing from the Scripture that the coming of Jesus to receive His believing Christians … is to be prior to the dreaded Seven Year Tribulation Period, that should place His coming ‘in the clouds’ for us at the Rapture of the Church seven years before 1996, which indicates His coming in – yes – 1989!(19)
Taylor went on to suggest the date for the rapture as being on or before September 29, 1989. It would appear that Taylor went with the age-old philosophy: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” He did so (as far as date setting is concerned) in complete failure.
88 Reasons Not to Set a Date
In 1988, the World Bible Society published retired NASA engineer Edgar Whisenant’s 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could be in 1988. The two-in-one booklet also included On Borrowed Time, and set a date for the rapture as being anytime during September 11-13, 1988. Whisenant was so confident about his prediction that he boldly declared, “Only if the Bible is in error am I wrong, and I say that unequivocally. There is no way biblically that I can be wrong; and I say that to every preacher in town.”(20) It would appear that Mr. Whisenant had forgotten what the Bible so clearly teaches: “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling” (Proverbs 16:18).
Not only was Whisenant confident of his date, so too, were Paul and Jan Crouch of the Trinity Broadcasting Network. William Alnor in his fine work Soothsayers of Second Advent, reports that TBN “altered their regular programming on September 11-13, 1988.” In lieu of their nightly Praise the Lord show, they aired videos about the rapture to explain to those left behind why millions of Christians had “suddenly disappeared.”(21)
Nobody disappeared on the predicted dates. The rapture of millions of Christians that many had been led to believe would occur, did not come about. What went wrong? Whisenant claimed a mistake was found in his mathematical calculations. This, he said, caused his date to be off by one year. Accordingly, he issued a new work entitled, The Final Shout: Rapture Report 1989.(22)
All of Whisenant’s errors considered, I find it interesting that on the cover of 88 Reasons, it gives the address for the World Bible Society, stating that it is a NONPROFIT ORG. It is clear that in the case of Edgar Whisenant it was even more a NON-PROPHET ORGANIZATION.
“We Are the Generation!”
When Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth hit the shelves of bookstores, it quickly became a national best-seller. In this extremely popular book, Lindsey more than intimated that the Lord could return by 1988.23 In the same way, his book, The 1980’s: Countdown to Armageddon stated his belief, that, “The decade of the 1980’s could very well be the last decade of history as we know it.”(24) The back cover of this book encouragingly promised prospective readers:
WE ARE THE GENERATION THAT WILL SEE THE END TIMES... AND THE RETURN OF JESUS.
Since the publication of this book, the decade of the eighties has come and gone—so too the nineties. Along with the passing of these two decades, occurred the passing of many of Hal’s trusting readers. They had been led to believe that they were the generation that would see the Lord’s return—they were not. Despite these past errors, Lindsey remains convinced that the time of the end is near. In a 1994 book, he wrote:
No, I am not a prophet. But I have studied the prophets. And I am certain that all of what they predict for mankind up to and including the Second Advent will occur in the next few years—probably in your lifetime.(25)
Today, despite many such failed predictions, Hal Lindsey is still considered (by some) to be an “expert” on Bible prophecy. Asked in an interview, “At one point would you say you are wrong?” Lindsay responded, “One hundred years leeway from 1948.”(26) In other words, since it is unlikely that Hal Lindsey will be around in the year 2048, don’t be looking for any admission of error from this “expert.”
In 1978, following the calculations of Hal Lindsey in The Late Great Planet Earth, Chuck Smith wrote, “I believe the Lord could come back for His church any time before the Tribulation starts, which could mean any time before 1981.”(27) However, in the next paragraph of the same book, Smith suggested the date could possibly be later, somewhere prior to the year 2000. Both dates were wrong.
In his 1982 book, Bible Prophecy for Today, Smith wrote, “I’m convinced that Jesus is coming again to this planet very soon and that the end of the world is near.”(28) Yet, all these many years later, there has still been no return of Jesus and no end of the world. In 1991, he stated, before the antichrist could rise to power, “…the Soviet Union will launch an unsuccessful attack on Israel…” Today, there is no more Soviet Union, which makes such an attack impossible.(29) This has not detoured dispensational Bible teachers like Smith who now point to Russia as the end-time “villain.”
Recognizing the futility of trying to set a date for the Lord’s return, in a March 30, 1989 interview, Smith said, “Date setting is wrong, and I was guilty of coming close to that.”(30) Despite this admission of guilt, in a 1989 book, Dateline Earth, he again “came close” to date setting. Smith wrote, “I believe the scene of redemption as previewed by the apostle John will be occurring very soon—within the next 25 years at the maximum.”(31) This set a date for the rapture as being no later than the year 2014 “maximum” (1989 + 25 = 2014). That is setting a date! No, it is not naming a specific calendar day, but it is identifying a specific and limited time.
Ironically, it would appear that Smith is actually unsure about his 25 years “maximum” date. He later reissued Dateline Earth with a new title: The Last Days the Middle East and the Book of Revelation. In the book, Smith did not change his “25 years maximum” interpretation.(32) Originally, the 25 years maximum were from 1989, but the new book was issued in 1991 (1991 + 25 = 2016). Does he believe Jesus will return by 2014 or 2016?
It is interesting to read in the two editions of this book how Smith writes of the errors of date setting by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Edgar Whisenant. Smith noted, “These are two instances in which people thought they had God’s plan all figured out, only to wind up looking like fools, or worse.”(33) Experience is a wonderful teacher.
A Not-So-Grand Jubilee
In 1988, Grant Jeffrey stated his belief that the year 2000 was “a probable termination point for the last days.”(34) This conclusion was based on his research into biblical prophecies. Jeffrey wrote, “If the first six prophetic time indications we have examined are accurate, then the Millennium would begin in the Fall of A.D. 2000.”35 Getting even more specific Jeffrey stated, “This Grand Jubilee would be celebrated on the Day of Atonement, the tenth of Tishri, or the ninth of October, in the year A.D. 2000.”(36) This would set a time for the rapture of the church as being somewhere in the year 1993.(37)
In the same book, Jeffrey also noted that it was “possible that the Antichrist will stop the Daily Sacrifice in the Temple on the Feast of Purim, which occurs 30 days before the feast of Passover in A.D. 1997.”(38) This would presuppose the temple having been rebuilt sometime prior, and the antichrist’s rise to world power, none of which occurred within Jeffrey’s predicted dates. It appears that Jeffrey needs to do some more research into biblical prophecies.
It is interesting to point out how Jeffrey couches his predictions with words like probable, if, and possible. Words like these are typical among futuristic writers. They are “safe words.” They allow for “probable” failure without (they hope) “possible” disappointment in the hearts of their readers from more “specific” date setting.
The Beginning of the End?
Popular Bible teacher, writer and co-author of the Left Behind series, Tim LaHaye, has suggested some probably timing for the rapture. In his 1972 book The Beginning of the End, LaHaye indicated the generation that saw the events of World War I was the “key generation.” By “key generation” he meant the generation Jesus said would not pass away until all these things take place (Matt. 24:34). This intimated a possible return of the Lord somewhere in the 1990’s.(39) To his credit, LaHaye cautioned against being dogmatic about this interpretation.
Nearly twenty years later, since most of that generation had passed away without seeing the return of the Lord, LaHaye’s 1991 reissue of the book had a change in “generations.” In the reissue, LaHaye identified the “key generation” as being the one that saw the events of May 14, 1948 when Israel became a nation. Interestingly, this was a view he had refuted in the earlier edition of the book. But, since his previous interpretation of the “key generation” was wrong, LaHaye had to readjust his prophetic timetable and hope no one would notice his earlier miscalculation—which is not mentioned in the reissue of the book.
In the examples below, notice how both editions of The Beginning of the End read virtually word-for-word the same except for the change of date.
1972 Edition
Carefully putting all this together, we now recognize this strategic generation. It is the generation that “sees” the four-part sign of verse 7, or the people who saw the First World War. We must be careful here not to become dogmatic…
All of us know gray-haired members of the generation that experienced the events of World War I…. the people of that generation do not have much more time on this earth.(40)
1991 (Revised and Expanded) Edition
Carefully putting all this together, we now recognize this strategic generation. It is the generation that “sees” the events of 1948. We must be careful here not to become dogmatic…
All of us know gray-haired members of the generation that witnessed the events of 1948…. we do not have much more time on earth.(41)
In his 1992 book No Fear of the Storm, LaHaye wanted to reaffirm the faith of his readers “in the fact that the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is coming soon.”(42) However, this is what men have been saying for years. And for years, they have been wrong!
By way of balance, in one of the companion books to the Left Behind series, LaHaye and writing partner Jerry B. Jenkins wisely stated that they “cannot guarantee that Christ will come in our generation,” but do insist, “we have more reason than any other generation before us to believe He will come in our generation.”(43) Once again, men from nearly every generation have believed the same, ours is obviously no different.
No Man Knows the Day or the Hour
The examples presented here represent only a fraction of the cast of players in the date setting follies. Many more failed predictions from Bible teachers confident of their prophetic interpretations could be noted, but the point should be clear: No man knows the day or the hour. Do not be misled by the confident boastings, visions and intricate mathematical calculations of any teacher who claims to know the day and the hour of the Lord’s return.
These examples considered, how long can respected teachers continue to mislead their trusting followers with proposed dates and false assertions for the Lord’s return? How long can they continue to maintain their credibility? More importantly, in view of such repeated failures, dashed hopes, and false alarms, how long can Christianity maintain credibility before a world that often views it with a skeptical and critical eye? How many other professions do you know where one can repeatedly be wrong and still be admired and respected as an “expert”? Certainly not many.
Amazingly, these teachers still seem to maintain their popularity. Remarkably, their books continue to sell successfully. Unbelievably, their end-time interpretations of scripture are still respected. Trusting followers and devoted readers continue to look to these “experts” for answers and direction about the last days. Gary DeMar described the situation beautifully:
Gullible Christians are eager to believe the scenarios described by men and women who are “sure” about their predictions since they are thought to be “prophecy experts.”(44)
It is time for more people to begin looking at what the Bible has to say about the end-times. In this regard, it is time to develop the noble practice of the Bereans—examine the scriptures daily to see if these things are so (Acts 17:11). Let no one mislead you.
End Notes
1 Lester Sumrall, I Predict 1984, 24.
2 Ibid. 25, 47, 49, 54.
3 Lester Sumrall, I Predict 2000 A.D. (South Bend, IN: “LESEA Publishing, 1987), 74.
4 Ibid. 110.
5 David Wilkerson, The Vision (New York, NY: Jove Publications, 1974), 12.
6 Ibid. 35-36.
7 Ibid. 14.
8 Marvin Byers, The Final Victory: The Year 2000 (Shippensburg, PA: Companion Press, 1991), Introduction.
9 Ibid. 298.
10 The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p. 197. The copy of this issue appeared in Robert Morey’s How to Answer a Jehovah’s Witness (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1980), 35. Morey’s book is an excellent resource for refuting the teachings of the Watchtower Society. Every Bible study library should have a copy of this book. This book will help you in being prepared to give an answer when the Witnesses knock on your door.
11 Zion’s Watchtower, January 1886, Vol. VII. No. 5, p. 817. Source: Robert Morey, 41.
12 The Watchtower, September 1, 1914, p. 261-263. Source: Robert Morey, 53.
13 Awake, October 8, 1973, 19.
14 Awake, October 8, 1968. Source: Robert Morey, 88.
15 Alnor, Soothsayers of the Second Advent, 134.
16 Charles R. Taylor, Get All Excited Jesus is Coming Soon (Redondo Beach, CA: Today in Bible Prophecy, Inc. 1975), 94.
17 Charles R. Taylor, Those Who Remain (Cypress, CA: Today in Bible Prophecy, Inc. 1976), 72.
18 Charles R. Taylor, Those Who Remain: 1980 Edition (Orange, CA: Today in Bible Prophecy, Inc. 1980), 70.
19 Charles R. Taylor, Watch World Events Relating to the Bible in 1989 (Huntington Beach, CA: Today in Bible Prophecy, Inc. 1989), 117.
20 As reported by Richard Abanes in End-Time Visions, 93. Taken from a quote in A Critique on the 1988 Rapture Theory (Oklahoma City: Southwest Radio Church, 1988), 2.
21 Alnor, Soothsayers of the Second Advent, 28.
22 Abanes, End-Time Visions, 94.
23 Hal Lindsey, The Late Great Planet Earth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970, 1977), 43.
24 Hal Lindsey, The 1980’s Countdown to Armageddon (New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1980), 8.
25 Hal Lindsey, Planet Earth 2000 (Palos Verdes, CA: 1994), 3.
26 Russell Chandler, Doomsday (Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Publications, 1993), 251. Quote from Chandler was taken from “John Stewart Live”, radio interview with Hal Lindsey on KBRT-AM (740), Costa Mesa, CA, August 4, 1992; Roy Rivenburg, “Is the End Still Near?” Los Angeles Times, July 30, 1992, E-1, E-2; Chandler and Dart, “Visions of Apocalypse Rise Again,” A-14.
27 Chuck Smith, End Times (Costa Mesa, CA: Maranatha House Publishers, 1978), 35-36.
28 Chuck Smith, Bible Prophecy for Today (Costa Mesa, CA: The Word for Today, 1982), 5.
29 Chuck Smith, The Last Days the Middle East and the Book of Revelation (Old Tappan, N.J: Chosen Books, 1991), 12.
30 Alnor, 41.
31 Chuck Smith, Dateline Earth (Old Tappan, N.J: Chosen Books, 1989), p. 49. The reader is encouraged to investigate the reporting of Richard Abanes in regards to this matter and other date-settings issues surrounding Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel. See, End-Time Visions, 410-411.
32 Chuck Smith, The Last Days the Middle East and the Book of Revelation, 60.
33 Chuck Smith, The Last Days the Middle East and the Book of Revelation, 36. Dateline Earth, 26.
34 Grant Jeffrey, Armageddon: Appointment with Destiny (New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1990), 193.
35 Ibid. 188.
36 Ibid. 191.
37 Ibid. 189. Jeffrey contends for a pretribulation rapture of the church, p. 135ff. 2000 – 7 = 1993.
38 Ibid. 146.
39 LaHaye established a generation as being approximately 70-80 years. 1914 + 70 = 1984, 1918 + 70 = 1988 (or at 80 years 1994-1998).
40 Tim LaHaye, The Beginning of the End (Wheaton, ILL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1972), See pages 165-169 for LaHaye’s justification of this “generation.”
41 Tim LaHaye, The Beginning of the End (Wheaton, ILL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1991), See pages 192-194 for LaHaye’s revised interpretation of this “generation.”
42 Tim LaHaye, No Fear of the Storm (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Press Books, 1992), 10.
43 Tim LaHaye, Are We Living in the End Times? (Wheaton, ILL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), xi.
44 DeMar, Last Days Madness (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, Fourth Edition, 1999), p. 354. Last Days Madness is a “must read.” Order from Americanvision.org.
Believing the end must be near a number of people have turned to the popular Bible teachers of our day for answers. Many of these teachers in their plethora of books and sermons on the end-times are confidently convinced: We are living in the last days. Being so convinced, some of these teachers have suggested possible dates and times for the Lord’s return. Sometimes their predictions are very specific, naming an exact day when they believe Jesus will rapture His church. Others take a more general and cautious approach by indicating only an approximate or specific year. Either way, all attempts at setting a date (general or specific) have failed.
The futile practice of a predicting a date for the return of the Lord is nothing new. Viewing world conditions of their day and time many Bible teachers in the past (like those of today) falsely concluded, “The end is near.” Despite numerous embarrassing past failures, the “dating game” continues. This has led to what can only be described as the date setting follies. Each failed attempt is added to an ever-growing list of false end-time warnings and erroneous dates for the Lord’s return.
False predictions not only leave many trusting followers disappointed and disillusioned when the Lord does not return, they also bring shame and embarrassment to the “Christian community.” The world often notices such failures with headline news. Unfortunately, this gives skeptics even more reason for discrediting the Bible. Let it be known to all, it is the persistent date setters who need to be discredited, not the Bible.
Time and space do not allow for a detailed listing of every failed prediction given by so-called “prophecy experts,” and such is not the purpose of this work. However, some notable examples from recent years are offered to demonstrate the folly of trying to set a date for the time of the Lord’s return.
“I Predict…”
Predictions about the timing of various last days events have always been a trademark for certain Bible teachers. The right prediction at the right time and the interest it can generate can mean a big boost in book sales. As such, there is a steady-stream of end-time prognostications hitting the shelves of bookstores. Case in point, Lester Sumrall’s I Predict 1984. In this prophecy-based book he confidently stated, “God spoke to me in rhyme about predictions for 1984.”(1) What did God (supposedly) tell Sumrall? Contained within the pages of this book were predictions of such devastating events as “holocaust in Israel,” volcanoes ripping the earth apart, famine, floods, “the sun will turn black,” and the moon will fail to give its light.(2) Considering the year 1984 saw no fulfillment of these devastating events, clearly it was not God speaking to Sumrall.
Undaunted by the prophetic inaccuracies of I Predict 1984, Sumrall published I Predict 1986. This was a book that included many of the same devastating (but failed) end-time predictions he had earlier published. Once again, there was little or no fulfillment. Yet, despite more predictive failures, I Predict 1986 was followed by I Predict 2000 A.D., a book in which Sumrall wrote, “I predict the absolute fullness of man’s operation on planet Earth by the year 2000 A.D. Then Jesus Christ shall reign from Jerusalem for 1000 years.”(3) Toward the close of the book, Sumrall again emphasized his prediction in bold print: “Remember: I predict 2000 A.D. to be the ultimate day of destiny for planet Earth!”(4)
The Vision
David Wilkerson’s book The Vision described a vision he claimed was from God. Wilkerson wrote, “Deep in my heart I am convinced that this vision is from God, that it is true, and that it will come to pass.”(5) Among the mostly disastrous events that Wilkerson predicted, he stated, “More than one-third of the United States will be designated a disaster area within the next few years…. The haze hanging in the cosmos will turn the moon red and will cause periods of darkness over the earth—almost as though the sun refused to shine.”(6) This vision came in 1973 at which time Wilkerson concluded: “The hour is late and time is getting short.”(7)
Despite Wilkerson’s claims, the many years that have since transpired reveal the vision was not from God. In fairness, it should be noted that some of what Wilkerson predicted actually occurred, but only some. If the vision were truly from God all would have been fulfilled.
Claiming direct prophetic revelation from God is nothing new. This boast has been made many times before and will certainly be made again in support of some end-time prediction. In this way, Marvin Byers wrote, “In 1970 the Lord met with me and my wife in a very precious way. He gave us a glimpse into the future, and a little understanding of His calendar for these last days.”8 What was it the Lord showed Byers and his wife? According to Byres:
If the life of Christ is brought forth by the Woman of Revelation 12 at the end of 1996, and He manifests the Kingdom for three and a half years as a witness to all the world, then the Rapture and His physical return will occur in the year 2000.(9)
Obviously, it was not the Lord meeting with Byers and his wife. As with Sumrall and Wilkerson, God was not revealing any prophetic information to these men. This is seen in the fact that God’s true prophets were never wrong about any detail of their divinely inspired prophecies or visions (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). God said through the prophet Isaiah:
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11).
What the inspired prophets of God spoke, sometimes hundreds of years in advance, happened with incredible accuracy to detail and timing. When events prophesied did not occur, the one who so spoke would be identified as a false prophet.
“You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).
In a similar way, the apostle John instructed his readers:
Beloved do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
Those today who make claims of visions from God need to be tested. If the future events they predict do not occur with precise accuracy in detail and timing, then the words they spoke were not from God.
Jehovah’s False Witness
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has long been known for its date setting failures. Their “prophetic” errors have been cataloged in numerous writings, clearly exposing them as being anything but Jehovah’s witness. The utter failure of their end-time predictions is compounded by their claim of being God’s prophet.
This “prophet” was not one man, but was a body of men and women…. Today they are known as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses…. Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a “prophet” of God. It is another to prove it. The only way that this can be done is to review the record. What does it show?(10)
In this particular instance, the Witnesses are right. The only way to tell a prophet of God is by the accuracy of his prophecies. So let’s take a brief look at the Watchtower’s record as a “prophet.” We begin with the January 1886 issue of Zion’s Watchtower, which stated, “…the marshalling of the hosts for the battle of the great day of God Almighty is in progress while the skirmishing is commencing.”11 Obviously this proved to be a false prediction; however, it was far from being their last.
In 1897, they stated the battle of the great day of God would end in 1915. In 1914, they predicted the battle of Armageddon could begin in the early months of 1915.12 In 1973, the Witnesses stated:
We can be equally sure that, of the generation alive in 1914, some will see the major fulfillment of Christ’s prophecy and the destruction with which it culminates. This means that mankind is now in the most crucial time of its history, when the rule of this earth and of all human affairs will pass from the hands of imperfect political rulers and come to rest with a righteous government of God’s own making.(13)
If God is going to do as the Witnesses claimed He had better hurry, most of the generation that saw the events of 1914 has passed away. In 1968, they were suggesting 1975 as the possible start of Christ’s thousand-year kingdom on earth. Confident of this date, in the October 8, 1968 issue of Awake, The Watchtower wrote:
True, there have been those in times past who predicted an “end to the world,” even announcing a specific date…. Yet nothing happened. The “end” did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing? Missing was the full measure of evidence required in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Missing from such people were God’s truths and the evidence that he was guiding and using them…. Today we have the evidence required, all of it.(14)
Many witnesses at the time were selling their homes and property expecting the Lord to return in 1975—He did not. They were wrong again. According to their own words, they were guilty of false prophesying. Their prophetic error demonstrated that God was not (and is not) with them. Repeatedly the Watchtower Society has set dates and repeatedly they have been wrong. What does the evidence show? It shows beyond any doubt that they are a false prophet (Deut. 18:20-22).
“Jesus is Coming Soon!”
While God’s prophets never failed in the words they spoke, the “experts” have failed repeatedly. Consider, prophecy teacher Charles Taylor. It has been suggested that Taylor may be “The Ultimate Date Setter.”15 In 1975, he published his book Get All Excited Jesus is Coming Soon! Taylor suggested (what he called) overwhelming evidence that September 6, 1975 could be the day of the rapture.(16) In a 1979 Update to this book, Taylor remarked, “We may not have a full five years!”
When 1975 did not produce the rapture, Taylor published Those Who Remain. This time he concluded, “…the evidence strongly indicates that the rapture would need to be 1983 - 7 = 1976. Are you ready to meet the Lord?”(17) When the rapture did not occur in 1976, Taylor issued a revised edition of Those Who Remain, suggesting 1980 was the “possible” year for the Lord to rapture His church.(18) Since 1980 did not prove to be the year of the rapture, Taylor issued yet another book, with yet another date! Taylor wrote:
Since historical records show that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, before Herod the Great died in 4 B.C.; then the return of Jesus to earth should be 2,000 years from that date, which would be in A.D. 1996. Knowing from the Scripture that the coming of Jesus to receive His believing Christians … is to be prior to the dreaded Seven Year Tribulation Period, that should place His coming ‘in the clouds’ for us at the Rapture of the Church seven years before 1996, which indicates His coming in – yes – 1989!(19)
Taylor went on to suggest the date for the rapture as being on or before September 29, 1989. It would appear that Taylor went with the age-old philosophy: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” He did so (as far as date setting is concerned) in complete failure.
88 Reasons Not to Set a Date
In 1988, the World Bible Society published retired NASA engineer Edgar Whisenant’s 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could be in 1988. The two-in-one booklet also included On Borrowed Time, and set a date for the rapture as being anytime during September 11-13, 1988. Whisenant was so confident about his prediction that he boldly declared, “Only if the Bible is in error am I wrong, and I say that unequivocally. There is no way biblically that I can be wrong; and I say that to every preacher in town.”(20) It would appear that Mr. Whisenant had forgotten what the Bible so clearly teaches: “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling” (Proverbs 16:18).
Not only was Whisenant confident of his date, so too, were Paul and Jan Crouch of the Trinity Broadcasting Network. William Alnor in his fine work Soothsayers of Second Advent, reports that TBN “altered their regular programming on September 11-13, 1988.” In lieu of their nightly Praise the Lord show, they aired videos about the rapture to explain to those left behind why millions of Christians had “suddenly disappeared.”(21)
Nobody disappeared on the predicted dates. The rapture of millions of Christians that many had been led to believe would occur, did not come about. What went wrong? Whisenant claimed a mistake was found in his mathematical calculations. This, he said, caused his date to be off by one year. Accordingly, he issued a new work entitled, The Final Shout: Rapture Report 1989.(22)
All of Whisenant’s errors considered, I find it interesting that on the cover of 88 Reasons, it gives the address for the World Bible Society, stating that it is a NONPROFIT ORG. It is clear that in the case of Edgar Whisenant it was even more a NON-PROPHET ORGANIZATION.
“We Are the Generation!”
When Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth hit the shelves of bookstores, it quickly became a national best-seller. In this extremely popular book, Lindsey more than intimated that the Lord could return by 1988.23 In the same way, his book, The 1980’s: Countdown to Armageddon stated his belief, that, “The decade of the 1980’s could very well be the last decade of history as we know it.”(24) The back cover of this book encouragingly promised prospective readers:
WE ARE THE GENERATION THAT WILL SEE THE END TIMES... AND THE RETURN OF JESUS.
Since the publication of this book, the decade of the eighties has come and gone—so too the nineties. Along with the passing of these two decades, occurred the passing of many of Hal’s trusting readers. They had been led to believe that they were the generation that would see the Lord’s return—they were not. Despite these past errors, Lindsey remains convinced that the time of the end is near. In a 1994 book, he wrote:
No, I am not a prophet. But I have studied the prophets. And I am certain that all of what they predict for mankind up to and including the Second Advent will occur in the next few years—probably in your lifetime.(25)
Today, despite many such failed predictions, Hal Lindsey is still considered (by some) to be an “expert” on Bible prophecy. Asked in an interview, “At one point would you say you are wrong?” Lindsay responded, “One hundred years leeway from 1948.”(26) In other words, since it is unlikely that Hal Lindsey will be around in the year 2048, don’t be looking for any admission of error from this “expert.”
In 1978, following the calculations of Hal Lindsey in The Late Great Planet Earth, Chuck Smith wrote, “I believe the Lord could come back for His church any time before the Tribulation starts, which could mean any time before 1981.”(27) However, in the next paragraph of the same book, Smith suggested the date could possibly be later, somewhere prior to the year 2000. Both dates were wrong.
In his 1982 book, Bible Prophecy for Today, Smith wrote, “I’m convinced that Jesus is coming again to this planet very soon and that the end of the world is near.”(28) Yet, all these many years later, there has still been no return of Jesus and no end of the world. In 1991, he stated, before the antichrist could rise to power, “…the Soviet Union will launch an unsuccessful attack on Israel…” Today, there is no more Soviet Union, which makes such an attack impossible.(29) This has not detoured dispensational Bible teachers like Smith who now point to Russia as the end-time “villain.”
Recognizing the futility of trying to set a date for the Lord’s return, in a March 30, 1989 interview, Smith said, “Date setting is wrong, and I was guilty of coming close to that.”(30) Despite this admission of guilt, in a 1989 book, Dateline Earth, he again “came close” to date setting. Smith wrote, “I believe the scene of redemption as previewed by the apostle John will be occurring very soon—within the next 25 years at the maximum.”(31) This set a date for the rapture as being no later than the year 2014 “maximum” (1989 + 25 = 2014). That is setting a date! No, it is not naming a specific calendar day, but it is identifying a specific and limited time.
Ironically, it would appear that Smith is actually unsure about his 25 years “maximum” date. He later reissued Dateline Earth with a new title: The Last Days the Middle East and the Book of Revelation. In the book, Smith did not change his “25 years maximum” interpretation.(32) Originally, the 25 years maximum were from 1989, but the new book was issued in 1991 (1991 + 25 = 2016). Does he believe Jesus will return by 2014 or 2016?
It is interesting to read in the two editions of this book how Smith writes of the errors of date setting by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Edgar Whisenant. Smith noted, “These are two instances in which people thought they had God’s plan all figured out, only to wind up looking like fools, or worse.”(33) Experience is a wonderful teacher.
A Not-So-Grand Jubilee
In 1988, Grant Jeffrey stated his belief that the year 2000 was “a probable termination point for the last days.”(34) This conclusion was based on his research into biblical prophecies. Jeffrey wrote, “If the first six prophetic time indications we have examined are accurate, then the Millennium would begin in the Fall of A.D. 2000.”35 Getting even more specific Jeffrey stated, “This Grand Jubilee would be celebrated on the Day of Atonement, the tenth of Tishri, or the ninth of October, in the year A.D. 2000.”(36) This would set a time for the rapture of the church as being somewhere in the year 1993.(37)
In the same book, Jeffrey also noted that it was “possible that the Antichrist will stop the Daily Sacrifice in the Temple on the Feast of Purim, which occurs 30 days before the feast of Passover in A.D. 1997.”(38) This would presuppose the temple having been rebuilt sometime prior, and the antichrist’s rise to world power, none of which occurred within Jeffrey’s predicted dates. It appears that Jeffrey needs to do some more research into biblical prophecies.
It is interesting to point out how Jeffrey couches his predictions with words like probable, if, and possible. Words like these are typical among futuristic writers. They are “safe words.” They allow for “probable” failure without (they hope) “possible” disappointment in the hearts of their readers from more “specific” date setting.
The Beginning of the End?
Popular Bible teacher, writer and co-author of the Left Behind series, Tim LaHaye, has suggested some probably timing for the rapture. In his 1972 book The Beginning of the End, LaHaye indicated the generation that saw the events of World War I was the “key generation.” By “key generation” he meant the generation Jesus said would not pass away until all these things take place (Matt. 24:34). This intimated a possible return of the Lord somewhere in the 1990’s.(39) To his credit, LaHaye cautioned against being dogmatic about this interpretation.
Nearly twenty years later, since most of that generation had passed away without seeing the return of the Lord, LaHaye’s 1991 reissue of the book had a change in “generations.” In the reissue, LaHaye identified the “key generation” as being the one that saw the events of May 14, 1948 when Israel became a nation. Interestingly, this was a view he had refuted in the earlier edition of the book. But, since his previous interpretation of the “key generation” was wrong, LaHaye had to readjust his prophetic timetable and hope no one would notice his earlier miscalculation—which is not mentioned in the reissue of the book.
In the examples below, notice how both editions of The Beginning of the End read virtually word-for-word the same except for the change of date.
1972 Edition
Carefully putting all this together, we now recognize this strategic generation. It is the generation that “sees” the four-part sign of verse 7, or the people who saw the First World War. We must be careful here not to become dogmatic…
All of us know gray-haired members of the generation that experienced the events of World War I…. the people of that generation do not have much more time on this earth.(40)
1991 (Revised and Expanded) Edition
Carefully putting all this together, we now recognize this strategic generation. It is the generation that “sees” the events of 1948. We must be careful here not to become dogmatic…
All of us know gray-haired members of the generation that witnessed the events of 1948…. we do not have much more time on earth.(41)
In his 1992 book No Fear of the Storm, LaHaye wanted to reaffirm the faith of his readers “in the fact that the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is coming soon.”(42) However, this is what men have been saying for years. And for years, they have been wrong!
By way of balance, in one of the companion books to the Left Behind series, LaHaye and writing partner Jerry B. Jenkins wisely stated that they “cannot guarantee that Christ will come in our generation,” but do insist, “we have more reason than any other generation before us to believe He will come in our generation.”(43) Once again, men from nearly every generation have believed the same, ours is obviously no different.
No Man Knows the Day or the Hour
The examples presented here represent only a fraction of the cast of players in the date setting follies. Many more failed predictions from Bible teachers confident of their prophetic interpretations could be noted, but the point should be clear: No man knows the day or the hour. Do not be misled by the confident boastings, visions and intricate mathematical calculations of any teacher who claims to know the day and the hour of the Lord’s return.
These examples considered, how long can respected teachers continue to mislead their trusting followers with proposed dates and false assertions for the Lord’s return? How long can they continue to maintain their credibility? More importantly, in view of such repeated failures, dashed hopes, and false alarms, how long can Christianity maintain credibility before a world that often views it with a skeptical and critical eye? How many other professions do you know where one can repeatedly be wrong and still be admired and respected as an “expert”? Certainly not many.
Amazingly, these teachers still seem to maintain their popularity. Remarkably, their books continue to sell successfully. Unbelievably, their end-time interpretations of scripture are still respected. Trusting followers and devoted readers continue to look to these “experts” for answers and direction about the last days. Gary DeMar described the situation beautifully:
Gullible Christians are eager to believe the scenarios described by men and women who are “sure” about their predictions since they are thought to be “prophecy experts.”(44)
It is time for more people to begin looking at what the Bible has to say about the end-times. In this regard, it is time to develop the noble practice of the Bereans—examine the scriptures daily to see if these things are so (Acts 17:11). Let no one mislead you.
End Notes
1 Lester Sumrall, I Predict 1984, 24.
2 Ibid. 25, 47, 49, 54.
3 Lester Sumrall, I Predict 2000 A.D. (South Bend, IN: “LESEA Publishing, 1987), 74.
4 Ibid. 110.
5 David Wilkerson, The Vision (New York, NY: Jove Publications, 1974), 12.
6 Ibid. 35-36.
7 Ibid. 14.
8 Marvin Byers, The Final Victory: The Year 2000 (Shippensburg, PA: Companion Press, 1991), Introduction.
9 Ibid. 298.
10 The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p. 197. The copy of this issue appeared in Robert Morey’s How to Answer a Jehovah’s Witness (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1980), 35. Morey’s book is an excellent resource for refuting the teachings of the Watchtower Society. Every Bible study library should have a copy of this book. This book will help you in being prepared to give an answer when the Witnesses knock on your door.
11 Zion’s Watchtower, January 1886, Vol. VII. No. 5, p. 817. Source: Robert Morey, 41.
12 The Watchtower, September 1, 1914, p. 261-263. Source: Robert Morey, 53.
13 Awake, October 8, 1973, 19.
14 Awake, October 8, 1968. Source: Robert Morey, 88.
15 Alnor, Soothsayers of the Second Advent, 134.
16 Charles R. Taylor, Get All Excited Jesus is Coming Soon (Redondo Beach, CA: Today in Bible Prophecy, Inc. 1975), 94.
17 Charles R. Taylor, Those Who Remain (Cypress, CA: Today in Bible Prophecy, Inc. 1976), 72.
18 Charles R. Taylor, Those Who Remain: 1980 Edition (Orange, CA: Today in Bible Prophecy, Inc. 1980), 70.
19 Charles R. Taylor, Watch World Events Relating to the Bible in 1989 (Huntington Beach, CA: Today in Bible Prophecy, Inc. 1989), 117.
20 As reported by Richard Abanes in End-Time Visions, 93. Taken from a quote in A Critique on the 1988 Rapture Theory (Oklahoma City: Southwest Radio Church, 1988), 2.
21 Alnor, Soothsayers of the Second Advent, 28.
22 Abanes, End-Time Visions, 94.
23 Hal Lindsey, The Late Great Planet Earth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970, 1977), 43.
24 Hal Lindsey, The 1980’s Countdown to Armageddon (New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1980), 8.
25 Hal Lindsey, Planet Earth 2000 (Palos Verdes, CA: 1994), 3.
26 Russell Chandler, Doomsday (Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Publications, 1993), 251. Quote from Chandler was taken from “John Stewart Live”, radio interview with Hal Lindsey on KBRT-AM (740), Costa Mesa, CA, August 4, 1992; Roy Rivenburg, “Is the End Still Near?” Los Angeles Times, July 30, 1992, E-1, E-2; Chandler and Dart, “Visions of Apocalypse Rise Again,” A-14.
27 Chuck Smith, End Times (Costa Mesa, CA: Maranatha House Publishers, 1978), 35-36.
28 Chuck Smith, Bible Prophecy for Today (Costa Mesa, CA: The Word for Today, 1982), 5.
29 Chuck Smith, The Last Days the Middle East and the Book of Revelation (Old Tappan, N.J: Chosen Books, 1991), 12.
30 Alnor, 41.
31 Chuck Smith, Dateline Earth (Old Tappan, N.J: Chosen Books, 1989), p. 49. The reader is encouraged to investigate the reporting of Richard Abanes in regards to this matter and other date-settings issues surrounding Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel. See, End-Time Visions, 410-411.
32 Chuck Smith, The Last Days the Middle East and the Book of Revelation, 60.
33 Chuck Smith, The Last Days the Middle East and the Book of Revelation, 36. Dateline Earth, 26.
34 Grant Jeffrey, Armageddon: Appointment with Destiny (New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1990), 193.
35 Ibid. 188.
36 Ibid. 191.
37 Ibid. 189. Jeffrey contends for a pretribulation rapture of the church, p. 135ff. 2000 – 7 = 1993.
38 Ibid. 146.
39 LaHaye established a generation as being approximately 70-80 years. 1914 + 70 = 1984, 1918 + 70 = 1988 (or at 80 years 1994-1998).
40 Tim LaHaye, The Beginning of the End (Wheaton, ILL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1972), See pages 165-169 for LaHaye’s justification of this “generation.”
41 Tim LaHaye, The Beginning of the End (Wheaton, ILL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1991), See pages 192-194 for LaHaye’s revised interpretation of this “generation.”
42 Tim LaHaye, No Fear of the Storm (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Press Books, 1992), 10.
43 Tim LaHaye, Are We Living in the End Times? (Wheaton, ILL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), xi.
44 DeMar, Last Days Madness (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, Fourth Edition, 1999), p. 354. Last Days Madness is a “must read.” Order from Americanvision.org.