Date of God's Return

The link above is about the movement "We Can Know".  The article talks about what the people who are following this teaching are doing in preparation for May 21, 2011 when they believe Jesus is coming back.  All this is based on a man named Harold Camping's calculations from the Bible that says that the Bible gives hidden clues as to when God will return.

I have been to the websites and read some of the stuff.  I must say, I don't buy it.  This has nothing to do with the strength of my faith.  My faith is plenty strong.  It has to do with some pretty fuzzy reasoning and calculating.  He "figures out" exact dates for events in antiquity such as Noah's flood and actual creation.  This despite the fact that far more reputable scholars agree that while dates can be estimated, exact dates elude us.  There have never been clear answers to questions that include whether or not the genealogies in Genesis are actual or representative.  In a representative genealogy, some generations are skipped and the genealogy are a summary of the overall family tree.

All that to say that I find his date setting rather unconvincing, and that is before we consider the words of Jesus Himself when He says, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."   (Matthew 24:36 NAS)

I just don't know how you get beyond this!  Jesus says NO ONE knows the day, not even the angels.  So why does Mr. Camping and his followers think they are an exception.

There is one more troubling quote in the article attributed to Allison Warden, a follower and promoter of Campings teaching.  She says, "If May 21 passes and I'm still here, that means I wasn't saved. Does that mean God's word is inaccurate or untrue? Not at all,"    So, she is more sure of this man's date calculations than her own salvation?  That is unfortunate.  When it comes to "we can know" it is much more supported in Scripture that we can know God and His salvation than we can know the date of His coming.

All that being said, Jesus could certainly come back on May 21, or the 22, or the 20th, of any other date.  He's coming when He's ready.  We are directed to always be ready.  The news we are to spread is the news of His love, His sacrifice for our sins, His salvation through His death on the cross.  Not the news of a date.  So get ready, because we are supposed to be ready, but I wouldn't worry about getting up on the roof on May 21.  And some of you will understand me when I say, I have 88 reasons to doubt the date.  :)