Channel 4 did another of the media's hatchet jobs on the Bible (I eagerly
await their first demolition of the Koran) with Tony Robinson fulminating on
the evils of 'end-timers' in his two hour documentary 'The Doomsday Code.'
Ghostly voices quoted from apocalyptic parts of the Bible, notably Daniel
and Revelation, while weird demonic looking beings jerked too and fro.
Evangelical preachers from America (mainly) were given a platform and then
made to look ridiculous (not a single Brit amongst them - why don't they
ever talk to local British Christians on these programmes?). A few charges
made against the evangelicals were that they are responsible for
The absence of peace and love in the Middle East
Global warming
Poverty and Aids in Africa
In conclusion Robinson made the remarkable discovery that the end time
scenario is all a terrible mistake because the writer of Revelation (not
John) was a refugee from the destruction of the Temple writing a coded
attack on the Emperor Nero (odd that - Nero died in 68AD and the Temple was
destroyed in 70AD). He was boating across the Med and got holed up on
Patmos where he ate local magic mushrooms and went on a trip which produced
the Revelation.
As an evangelical Christian who believes we are living in the last days I
tried not to get too worked up about it, but thought I might jot down my
thoughts on some of the more outrageous errors Tony Robinson managed to
make.
1. 'Israel exists because of end time Christians causing it come into being
to fulfil prophecies.'
Actually there were Christians (not mentioned by Robinson) who did believe
and pray and work for the return of the Jewish people to Israel before the
event - Lord Shaftesbury, William Hechler, Lord Balfour and others. But
there were other reasons (not given in the programme). For example:
and draining the swamps, planting trees and making the land productive after
centuries of neglect (what a wicked thing to do!)
Anti-Semitism in Europe causing Jews to look for their own bit of space
where they would not be picked on because of being Jewish.
A UN Declaration in 1948 backed by such rabidly Christian evangelical
powers as the Soviet Union under Stalin which brought into being the State
of Israel (on a fraction of the land initially promised by the Balfour
Declaration).
Incredible hard work and enterprise of Israel's citizens creating a viable
modern state despite constant efforts of their enemies to wipe them out.
2. 'There is no peace between Israel and the Arab world because evangelical
Christians are preventing it from happening in order to push the world
towards Armageddon.'
Why - according to Robinson - they are even supporting that 'abomination' of
a Wall and trying to rebuild a third temple where the Dome of the Rock now
stands. Now there are Christians in America who believe we should support
the rebuilding of the Temple, I admit. As I see it they have missed a big
point because they also believe the Temple will be defiled by Antichrist so
in that case it is a bit more than pouring money down the drain.
What got a bit missed in the programme was anything about
Arab invasions aimed at the destruction of Israel in 1948, 1967, 1973.Palestinian terror organisations sending human bombs to blow up themselves
and as many Israelis as possible with the promise of 72 virgins in paradise
if they succeed (come to think of it that could have been worth a mention
within the issue of the evils of fundamentalism couldn't it?)
The fact that both Bill Clinton and George W Bush support in principle the
idea of land for peace. Clinton's last fling on this one was not stopped by
evil Christian fundamentalists tearing up the script, but by Arafat
rejecting Barak's offer of the Temple Mount and half of Jerusalem at Camp
David in 2000 and reverting to type by launching the second Intifada. Bush'
s support for the Road Map potentially gives more land to the Palestinians
than Clinton proposed under Camp David.
The fact that when Israel withdrew from Lebanon and Gaza the vacuum was
filled with Hezbollah and Hamas both of whom believe in fundamental Islam
and think the best way to run the territory under their control is to use it
to fire rockets at Israel.
The fact that Hamas rejects Israel's right to exist and aims at destroying
the Jewish state. Hezbollah's hero chief Nasrullah also wants to destroy
the entire Jewish people (said so in Beirut in 2002).
Perhaps I am a bit naïve but I would have thought some of these issues might
be a teeny weeny bit relevant to the fact that all is not sweetness and
light in the Middle East. But of course you are not allowed to criticise
Muslims in the media any more so I suppose you just have to take it all out
on the Jews and the Christians. All in the cause of justice and even
handedness.
3. 'It's the fault of the end-timers in the US that the world can't solve
the environmental problem.'
Americans consume 25% of the world's energy we are constantly reminded. It
is because of end-timers in America that the world can't get an agreement on
the burning of fossil fuels which will save the planet. Come to think of it
don't Europeans use up a few fossil fuels? Take a trip round London's M25
or the Paris Périphérique if you don't believe me. Of course you can't
mention China's rapid and uncontrolled industrialisation because they are
Communists and therefore not end-timers.
Actually it is pretty obvious that the world system based on consumption of
fossil fuels is going to crash whatever your viewpoint. I have written a
book called 'The House built on the Sand' on this subject available for £5
including postage. If you want to save the planet there is a simple way to
do it.
Ban air travel for pleasure trips
This way you would stop pollution of the environment and dependency on
Middle East oil which would also solve the Islamic problem overnight.
But it won't happen, not just because of America but because the world is
not run by the most far sighted people. So we are on the road to ruin.
Sorry. But not entirely my fault or that of those who believe we are living
in the end times.
'The end-timers don't like the UN which is the only hope of solving problems
of wars and human rights.'
Like it has done in its forthright condemnation of human rights abuses in
China, North Korea and Saudi Arabia. Or its magnificent efforts to stop the
slaughter in Sudan. Or its stern rebuke to Zimbabwe for the oppression of
its citizens.
Do me a favour Tony Robinson. I won't even bother to spell out why the UN
is such a den of hypocrisy, but just ask why its secretary Kofi Annan
sanctioned and attended a 'Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People' in
December 2005 at UN headquarters with a large map of 'Palestine,' with
Israel literally wiped off the map, featuring prominently in the
festivities? Why there are endless resolutions against Israel but nothing
about the suppression of human rights and freedom of religion (especially
for Christians) across most of the Middle East?
'The end-timers are responsible for poverty and Aids in Africa.'
Robinson took a trip to Uganda where he was appalled to find preachers
telling people we are living in the end times which, he claimed, made them
fatalistic and drop out of school and (amazingly) fornicate so much that
they spread Aids by not using condoms. Uganda seems to be uniquely a place
to be liberated from this influence because it has an evangelical Christian
president and gets help from American Christians.
Actually Uganda is by African standards a moderate success story. It has
pulled itself out of the abyss left behind by the tyranny and slaughter of
Idi Amin (not an evangelical Christian by the way - after being deposed he
sought asylum in Saudi Arabia which may tell you something of his religious
persuasion). It has its problems of course, one of which is fanatical cults
which have led to tragic suicides and the horrible 'Lord's Resistance Army'
which has nothing to do with Christian belief or practice as a brief reading
of the Sermon on the Mount will soon tell you.
There are some other African countries Robinson could have shown on his
programme, like Zimbabwe, potentially one of the most fertile and productive
countries on the continent, now being wrecked by a mad Marxist. Or Sudan
where black African Christians and Muslims are slaughtered and enslaved by
racist Arab Muslims. Correction. He could not have shown these countries
on TV because he would not have been let in to make his film. Nuff said.
Regarding Aids and condoms, evangelical Christians believe that sexual
abstinence outside of marriage and faithfulness inside of marriage is the
way to avoid all sexually transmitted diseases. This outrageous opinion
offends all right thinking people in the western media who argue that having
sex with as many partners (of the opposite sex or the same sex or both) but
using a condom is the best way to avoid spreading STDs.
Rapture, tribulation, Antichrist and Armageddon.
Robinson mocked evangelical beliefs on this subject with the help of a lady
vicar from America who he took as the ultimate authority on this subject.
What is interesting however is that even a casual look at the average
newspaper reveals a strong degree of fear and foreboding that we are heading
for disaster because of:
Environmental problems / global warming threatening the future of the
planet
Fears about energy sources running down causing the system to crash
The clash of Islam and the West causing a conflict in which weapons of
mass destruction could be used
The Middle East conflict dragging the world into a potentially
catastrophic crisis
Abuse of power causing poverty, corruption and tyranny
You don't need much imagination to see that all these things could come
together in a global crisis which would bring about a surrender of freedom
in order to save the planet with some kind of world government taking over.
That is what the end time Bible view says will happen with power being given
to the Beast (antichrist) of Revelation.
All these things are prophesied in the end time passages of the Bible - in
both Old and New Testaments. They are not happening because a few
evangelicals in America are orchestrating them, but because human beings
have failed to care for the earth as commanded by God in Genesis 1 and have
disregarded His commandments and the salvation He offers us through the
Messiah Jesus. The Bible does prophesy signs of this event, some of the
main ones which are as follows:
1. There will be an increase in wars, famines, plagues and earthquakes
leading to a time of great trouble on the earth. Luke 21.10-11
2. The earth will be full of violence 'as in the days of Noah' and many
people will be afraid of what is going to happen. Luke 17.26-27, Luke
21.25-6, Genesis 6.11.
3. There will be great sexual immorality 'as in the days of Lot' (Sodom and
Gomorrah) causing a breakdown of family life and disease. Luke 17.28-8,
Matthew 24.12, Romans 1.24-27, 2 Timothy 3.1-9
4. There will be many false cults bringing religious confusion while
organised religion will form a union known as Babylon which will persecute
true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 24.5, 24.23-27, Revelation
17.1-6
5. There will be an apostasy in the church with false teachers denying the
truth of the Bible, especially the divinity of the Lord Jesus and the power
of His shed blood to save us from our sins. Matthew 24.10-11, 2 Timothy
4.2-5, 2 Peter 2, 1 John 2.18-23
6. The Jewish people will return to Israel and Jerusalem will be a source of
conflict involving all nations of the world. Ezekiel 36-9, Zechariah 12-14,
Luke 21.20-24, Revelation 16.16
7. There will be widespread pollution of the earth. Isaiah 24, Revelation
8.6-11
8. There will be an increase in technology and travel helping to bring the
world together into a one world economic and political system. Daniel 12.4,
Revelation 13.
9. A world leader will emerge, known as the beast or Antichrist, who will
take control of this system. Daniel 7, 2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation 13,
Revelation 17.
10. The message of the Gospel will reach all nations despite opposition and
persecution. Matthew 24.9-14, Matthew 28.18-20.
It is not only in Revelation that these things are spoken of but throughout
the Bible. Revelation sums them up and is anything but the product of a
drug induced hallucination. It is a well ordered and amazing book whose
symbols make perfect sense in the light of the interpretation given within
the book itself or in relation to other passages in the Bible, mainly in the
Hebrew prophets. Jewish Christian writer Arnold Fruchtenbaum in his book
'Footsteps of the Messiah' says there are over 500 references or allusions
to the Old Testament in Revelation. Early church leaders (who were much
closer to the event than modern liberal theologians) Polycarp, Irenaeus and
Eusebius, all testify to the Apostle John as its author during the
persecutions of the Roman Emperor Domitian in about 95AD. Polycarp who
passed this information on to Irenaeus was a disciple of John. I have
written an article 'When was Revelation written?' giving further information
on this subject.
According to the New Testament the day will come when believers will be
separated from unbelievers (the Rapture) and the Lord Jesus will return in
person at a time of unique trouble (the tribulation) on the face of the
earth to save the world from destruction. He will judge the world
righteously. He will bring in the Millennium in which He will reign on
earth from Jerusalem bringing peace and justice to the Middle East and to
the whole earth. However far fetched and scary it may sound to Tony
Robinson it is going to happen. Better to look in to what the Bible
actually does say than rely on sensation seeking TV promoters who always
have an agenda to undermine it.
Tony Pearce began Light for the Last Days in 1988 when he was working as a school teacher in north London and wrote a few articles about Bible prophecy which he circulated to his friends. It has now become a regular magazine appearing four times a year and distributed world wide. The website http://www.lightforthelastdays.co.uk contains past and present articles from the magazine.