“COGWriter” Dr Robert Thiel of the COG News blog did a write-up on “Harold Camping: World Ends in Less than One Year”. He wrote:
While this page tends to focus more on those once affiliated with the Church of God, there are some other religious leaders that can impact it. One of those may be Harold Camping.
I have to admit that got my attention. What possibly could Camping have with the COGs?
So why cover him?
It remains my view that when Jesus does not come on May 21, 2011 and the world does not end on October 21, 2011 nor December 21, 2012, scoffers will point to Harold Camping, as well as those who insisted upon the Mayan date, as proof that there have been many who falsely believed to know when the world would end. And while they will be correct about that, they also will tend to discount all prophecy, including biblical prophecy (which is supposedly what Harold Camping claims to base his own imaginative and allegorical predictions upon). As Jesus said,
The iniquity of false prophets such as Harold Camping, Ronald Weinland (who claims that Jesus will come on May 27, 2012), and others will turn various people off about prophecy. More will feel comfortable being scoffers.
While Thiel and I don’t see eye to eye on some things, it is obvious we both find it disturbing that false prophets will rise up and even set dates (especially those who call themselves “Christian” all the while disregarding Jesus’ words that no one knows the hour or day of His return). Many will fall away from the truth as a result, as it is very difficult to recognize any of the truth if prophecy and the truth of prophecy isn’t part of it.
I met a man at the Feast site I attended who theorized 2015 as "the date" — that HWA was right all along about 1975, but God delayed Jesus's return for 40 years because the Church was not ready.
Yes, based on the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness by Israel long ago.
But this man also told me God could delay things again. He gave no Biblical backing for this.
I should note this man is NOT a minister — simply a member who spilled all his details to me in the lobby.
So much for "except those days should be shortened", huh? Then, there's that little "that day and hour knoweth no man", which included Jesus Himself, since He added, "but my Father only."
What of "The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware"? Is that only for the faithless servant? Or, does that mean that the faithful servant stays ready at all times (verses speculating when the Lord will return)?