A Harold from a Tornado

On May 22, 2011, a tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri, pulverizing a path nearly a mile wide and stretching for 21 miles. Bark was stripped from trees, people were hurled into the open air while riding in their bathtubs, and others were sucked out of automobiles to their sudden death.

A documentary was produced about the tornado. Although Joplin was my college hometown, I was away during the event. That said, I was largely unaware of the festivities taking place in Joplin just hours before the tornado struck. It was a time when Harold Camping’s words had spread far and wide across the nation.

“Judgment Day is Coming!”

“The Bible Guarantees It!”

The words echoed in the minds of countless Americans; the Bible was heralded as the source of authority for Camping’s devoted followers.

May 21, 2011- The foretold day came and passed, uneventfully.

The day was foretold to be judgement day and people expected the end of the world. When the apocalypse did not arrive, people partied and mocked the notion that a man had received special revelation foretelling of judgement.

Most people forgot about Heretic Harold. I did.

The people of Joplin, however, did not. Fourteen years later, the documentary reminded the world that some “heathens” had not forgotten Camping’s prophetic words.

Take note, abolitionists of abortion!

Calls to repent tend to linger in people’s minds: whether they are from a heretic or from those firmly standing upon the Word of God. As people possess a law unto themselves, they know they fall short of either their own standards or God’s standards.

In light of a tornado and Harold Camping proclamation, remember: God’s world serves as yet another reminder to proclaim judgment upon our nation for the murder of our preborn neighbors. Remember, no matter what the future brings–should some great calamity befall the United States for its wickedness–even decades from now, there will likely be those who recall the abolitionist’s call to repentance for the nation’s child sacrifice.

In the same way, may the call to repentance endure, prompting people to turn to the true God.

Day of Judgement! Day of Wonders!



1 Day of judgment! Day of wonders!
Hark! the trumpet’s awful sound,
louder than a thousand thunders,
shakes the vast creation round.
How the summons
will the sinner’s heart confound!

2 See the Judge, our nature wearing,
clothed in majesty divine;
you who long for his appearing
then shall say, “This God is mine!”
Gracious Savior,
own me in that day as thine.


3 At his call the dead awaken,
rise to life from earth and sea;
all the pow’rs of nature, shaken
by his looks, prepare to flee.
Careless sinner,
what will then become of thee?


4 But to those who have confessed,
loved and served the Lord below,
he will say, “Come near, ye blessed,
see the kingdom I bestow;
you forever
shall my love and glory know.”

Citation: Newton, John. Day of Judgment! Day of Wonders! Public domain text.