Biblical scholar's date for rapture: May 21, 2011
January 01, 2010|By Justin Berton, Chronicle Staff Writer


Harold Camping lets out a hearty chuckle when he considers the people who believe the world will end in 2012.

"That date has not one stitch of biblical authority," Camping says from the Oakland office where he runs Family Radio, an evangelical station that reaches listeners around the world. "It's like a fairy tale."

The real date for the end of times, he says, is in 2011.

The Mayans and the recent Hollywood movie "2012" have put the apocalypse in the popular mind this year, but Camping has been at this business for a long time. And while Armageddon is pop science or big-screen entertainment to many, Camping has followers from the Bay Area to China.

Camping, 88, has scrutinized the Bible for almost 70 years and says he has developed a mathematical system to interpret prophecies hidden within the Good Book. One night a few years ago, Camping, a civil engineer by trade, crunched the numbers and was stunned at what he'd found: The world will end May 21, 2011.

By Camping's understanding, the Bible was dictated by God and every word and number carries a spiritual significance. He noticed that particular numbers appeared in the Bible at the same time particular themes are discussed.

The number 5, Camping concluded, equals "atonement." Ten is "completeness." Seventeen means "heaven." Camping patiently explained how he reached his conclusion for May 21, 2011.

"Christ hung on the cross April 1, 33 A.D.," he began. "Now go to April 1 of 2011 A.D., and that's 1,978 years."

Camping then multiplied 1,978 by 365.2422 days - the number of days in each solar year, not to be confused with a calendar year.

Next, Camping noted that April 1 to May 21 encompasses 51 days. Add 51 to the sum of previous multiplication total, and it equals 722,500.

Camping realized that (5 x 10 x 17) x (5 x 10 x 17) = 722,500.

Or put into words: (Atonement x Completeness x Heaven), squared.

"Five times 10 times 17 is telling you a story," Camping said. "It's the story from the time Christ made payment for your sins until you're completely saved.

Pour Harold Camping, un ancien ingénieur civil reconverti en numérologue biblique, il est ridicule de croire que la fin du monde aura lieu en 2012... parce qu'en tripotant les chiffres présents dans la Bible, il a abouti à la conclusion qu'elle aura lieu le 21 mai 2011

J'ai entendu parler de cette histoire. Quelle sera leur réaction lorsque le Christ sera aux abonnés absents ?

Il y a eu un évènement de ce genre au XIXème siècle aux États-Unis qui se serait appelé "la Grande Déception".

1843

Le fermier évangéliste américain William Miller prévoit que la fin du monde aura lieu le 21 mars. Les "Millerites" se rassemblent au sommet des collines pour saluer le Christ et les anges, tandis que les autres devaient brûler en enfer. Inutile de préciser qu'elle ne se produit pas. Ce qui ne l'empêche pas de continuer de contrôler ses adeptes et d'affirmer que la fin du monde est toujours proche, mais le 22 octobre 1844 cette fois-ci. Ce jour devint celui de "La Grande Déception" lorsque l'Apocalypse manqua encore de se matérialiser.

Apparemment, il y a des gens qui y croient. Un exemple de site en français : http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/fr/may21_fr.html

Le Seigneur souligne également ces 5 mois horribles de destruction dans le versé final du chapitre 7 de la Genèse:

Il avait d'ailleurs prédit la fin du monde en 2006 si mes souvenirs sont bons