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Verastic

Authentic conversations about culture, motherhood, divorce, black excellence, humor, and style!

Save The Date — Not!

I’m an avid billboard reader. I love them. So, it wasn’t new or unexpected when I stretched my neck to read the big billboard on Pulaski Highway and Ebenezer Road. After reading the big red font, “Save The Date!” I anticipated that it would be some kind of fun event — like a romantic cocktail dinner that’s open to all. Perhaps, I have been over obsessing over the cocktail dinner I will be attending this weekend.  And I get to bring a date, too. Yes! But I digress.

Instead of a romantic cocktail dinner, the billboard instructed me to save the date of May 21st 2011 because on that day, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ would allegedly be coming back.  That’s right. Jesus is coming back on that day. I drove past that billboard several times and read it over and over – not on the same day, of course. Finally, it dawned on me that this billboard is 100% Verastic material.  So, here we are today.

Billboard announcing the alleged date of the return of Christ



The billboard is sponsored by wecanknow.com and according to them, well, we can know — the day Jesus Christ is returning.  Curious, I visited their website. On there, they cited several passages from the bible like Luke 24:45 “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures,” Amos 3:7 “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets,” Nehemiah 8:8 “They read from the book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being said,” and Daniel 11:33 “Those who are wise will instruct many…,” The continuation of this last verse [which was not included on their website] is “…Though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.” Guess there was no need to complete the verse.


It’s simply remarkable how we can all read the bible and interpret it to fit us personally. Sometimes, it’s a good thing. Christianity, after all, is a personal race. Other times, it puts our gag reflex in an excited mode.  While the owners of this outlandish belief must have meant their website and billboard for good, I, on the other hand could not help but remember a Nigerian man who – in all seriousness – believed that he did not need to tell his wife about his finances because in Matthew 6:3, it says, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” As far as he was concerned, he was obeying the scriptures.  Who cares if the scripture was referring to giving to the needy (not to marital relationships)?  Makes a lot of sense why Hosea 4:6 says “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”

I don’t know it all.  I am not under the illusion that I know even half of it. There are questions I have that I have resolved to not knowing until I meet God.  But this much I know: we cannot know the day Jesus Christ returns. It does state clearly, without riddles or proverbs, without ifs, buts, or maybes in Matthew 24:36-44 that “36“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

My people, shine your eyes.

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Comments

  4. Rita says

    Vera, are u ready for that date 🙂

    I agree with you "we can all read the bible and interpret it to fit us personally…"

  7. Evee says

    Remember when someone predicted that we wouldnt go beyond 1999 because they couldnt just believe that life could continue after that time. Now 2011?

  8. Anonymous says

    Christ is coming soon and "all eyes shall see him." Now that's my problem. How can all eyes see him when he comes? The sun is more than a thousand times bigger than the earth, yet all eyes doesn't see it at once because the world is not flat.

    So if Christ arrives, how can all eyes see him? Alright, maybe we will all see him at different times. That's good, because if he arrives so big that we can all see him at once, then it would be too problematic for him to land on such a small planet as ours, and the purpose of his coming will be defeated.

    Here, therefore, is my thought and hope:

    He will come, when he will, on a particular date he chooses, but because of time zones and 24 hour cable television, and CNN, those of us in Nigeria or California will have about 7 to 10 hours warning time before he comes to our side. We would have seen him on TV. "Oh, see Christ healing the sick in the synagogues in Delhi!"

    Then we'll be able either to repent of our sins at the last minute, or find the time to withdraw the last of the money in our accounts for heavenly spending. In any case, let him come.

    Whichever it is, best of luck.

  11. 2cute4u says

    Chere nu biko..
    I thought the date of the 2nd coming of Christ isn't even known to Christ!
    So???
    We are just told to prepare like any day was the last day cause when the Son of man will come he would like a thief in the night, meaning Unexpectedly..
    So????
    Hmmmmm, Man and 2nd guessing God!

  12. ZeL says

    If May 21 2011, comes and goes without judgment day coming, I wonder what their alibi will be then.

    We just need to live as if God is coming the very next second. This is easier said than done. Especially when People say Jesus is coming "soon", and years and years have past. Soon, we begin to think we have enough time

  13. Suzanne Brume says

    If the day comes and passes, they will make an excuse and pick another one. So many groups have done this, so I wonder why anyone still follows them. And yes, I do also wonder how they pick the dates…

  14. Ade says

    lol… I guess they'd realise when the date comes and nothing happens! really funny… a billboard is a pretty bold statement… that's what really got me! I don't believe what they're saying but it does make me wonder why they feel so bold…

  15. Favoured Girl says

    There have been so many fake predictions like this. I wonder why people keep guessing, when the Lord has already told us that only GOD the Father knows the hour that Christ would return. I vaguely remember predictions of 1998, 1999, 2000 and now 2011? Let's be wise, and just live for Him each day so that we will be ready any time.

  17. Nice Anon says

    My dear so that people will know to give their life to Christ before the stroke of midnight. Odiegwu o

  18. seye says

    🙁 Verastic, don't delete this post or make sure your site is still up by that date. I have written a comment that will be posted on May 21st,2011 on this blog.

    I have also sent a futurist email to myself so I don't forget.

    But …'hopefully' i won't get the email since Judgement day will be on that day.

    I wonder if I'd have time to turn on my computer.

  19. seye says

    🙁 Verastic, don't delete this post or make sure your site is still up by that date. I have written a comment that will be posted on May 21st,2011 on this blog.

    I have also sent a futurist email to myself so I don't forget.

    But …'hopefully' i won't get the email since Judgement day will be on that day.

    I wonder if I'd have time to turn on my computer.

  20. Seye says

    Okay, time up! Future email worked! Future comment worked! But the promise of the world ending didn’t!

    SMH! lol. I need to email one of those Campings’ people.

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