May 11, 2026
Monday, May 11
When I was a kid, I read a book called The Late Great Planet Earth, by Hal Lindsey. It predicted the European Union would become a revived Roman empire, then Russia would invade Israel, sparking a world war that would culminate in the return of Christ and the end of the present age. This was all likely to happen, he said, sometime around 1988, forty years after the re-establishment of the nation of Israel. That book shook me up, and I wasn’t the only one. It was one of the best-selling books of the 1970s. They even made a movie version, narrated by Orson Welles. Will it surprise you to know that Russia still hasn’t invaded Israel, nor have any of the other things Lindsey predicted occurred? Most of all, the Lord didn’t return in 1988. Hal Lindsey isn’t the only person who’s been wrong about the end times. Here’s a few of my favorite stories:
A preacher in New England named William Miller predicted the end of the world by March 1844. He based his prediction on his interpretation of Daniel 8. He built a huge nationwide following, mostly thanks to newspapers that published his predictions. When March came and went, he proclaimed that he had made a mathematical error, and that Jesus was coming back October 22, 1844. When that day also passed without incident, most of Miller’s followers left him, but some stayed, and eventually formed the Seventh-Day Adventists. They forever after referred to that event as The Great Disappointment.
In 1499, Johannes Stoffler, a respected German mathematician and priest, observed that in 1524, twenty different planets would be in alignment under the astrological sign of Pisces. He therefore predicted that the world would end in a massive flood in that year. Plenty of people took him seriously, including a German nobleman with the spectacular name of Count von Iggleheim, who actually built a three-story ark for his friends and family. On the day they boarded the boat, a huge crowd had gathered to watch. When it started to rain gently, there was a riot, and the count was dragged off the boat and stoned to death.
It seems to be so hard for Christians to talk biblically and responsibly about the End Times. I think the key is to stop trying to predict when and how biblical prophecy is going to be fulfilled. The prophecies of Scripture were never meant to be hidden codes that help us figure out what’s happening and why, and predict what’s going to happen next. They were written to make us ready. This week, we’ll end our series “Since Heaven is Real,” by showing how to be ready for Christ’s return.
“Lord Jesus, I know you’re coming back. I want to be ready, in every way, for that most important event. Please show me how, so that I might glorify you in this life. In your name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
