According to one “prophet,” the demise of the world was imminent.
All signs in heaven and on the earth pointed to it. There were wars and rumors of war. Humanity was steeped in sin and evil; God’s patience was, surely, at an end. Thus, his horde of followers began preparing themselves, even abandoning property and other wealth, to prepare for Jesus’ coming, which would usher in the apocalypse. Many expected that the New Jerusalem would soon come down out of heaven, as Revelation 21:2 promises: “When I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
When did all this happen? Second century AD?
Jump ahead about 18 centuries—to May 21, 2011, to be exact. According to California radio evangelist and preacher Harold Camping, the secret rapture—when faithful Christians would be snatched up to heaven—was to occur on that day, immediately followed by five months of natural and manmade catastrophes until the Earth was consumed in a cosmic fireball.
When the rapture did not materialize as predicted, and all faithful Christians, himself included, remained on terra firma, Camping said that, nevertheless, God’s judgment had begun and that on October 21, 2011, the world would end, for sure.
Non “Christian” Predictions
It’s not only Christians, though, who have false predictions about the end.
Some might remember the hoopla over the Mayan Doomsday Calendar, which warned, based on interpretations of the ancient Mexican Indian calendar, that the world was going to end on December 21, 2012. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “End-of-the-world scenarios included the Earth colliding with an imaginary planet called Nibiru, giant solar flares, a planetary alignment that would cause massive tidal catastrophes, and a realignment of Earth’s axis. Preparations for the end of the world as we know it included a modern-day Noah’s ark built by a man in China and extensive sales of survival kits.”
Then, too, there was great fear among some that CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s largest atom smasher—a 27-kilometer underground ring with a superconducting magnet that crosses the borders of France and Switzerland—was going to destroy the world when first turned on in 2008. In fact, a lawsuit was filed in court to stop the LHC from going online, in fear that the power generated could create a “black hole” that would destroy the planet. “‘Eventually, all of earth would fall into such growing micro-black-hole, converting earth into a medium-sized black hole, around which would continue to orbit the moon, satellites, the ISS, etc.’ Walter F. Wagner and Luis Sancho lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Honolulu.”
And, of course, there has been the endless stream of “eco-pocalyptic” predictions in which environmentalists have warned that the end is near. A fascinating website with the headline: “Wrong Again: 50 Years of Failed Eco-pocalyptic Predictions” showed article after article, back to 1969, each with a dire warning that we have been heading for irreversible climate disaster that could kill us all unless something is done immediately. One 1989 article predicted that “Rising Seas Could Obliterate Nations: U.N. Officials”—by 2000.
The End of the World?
During times of stress, war, and upheaval, people can start to fear that the world will soon end. Given events from the recent past—the coronavirus pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and now the Israel-Hamas War—a new Pew Research Poll states that about 40 percent of Americans believe that “humanity is living in the end-times.” Again, considering the difficult issues that the world faces, these sentiments are not unreasonable, even if they can lead to, as we have seen, false predictions about how and when the end will come.
Of course, just because all these predictions about how and when the end will come upon us have so far been wrong doesn’t mean that the end will not come upon us. On the contrary, the Bible makes it clear that it will. The good news, however, is that when it does, it will be replaced with a better one. Look at these promises:
• “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. ... Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:10–13).
• “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17).
However, Scripture is clear that before this happens, we are in for tough times. In Jesus’ famous words to His disciples, found in Matthew 24, the Lord painted a pretty sorry picture of what the world would be like before His second advent. And, with its wars, rumors of war, famines, natural disasters, and more, the world is exactly as He predicted it would be.
Also, the book of Revelation, with its warning about end-time persecution and forced false worship—see Revelation chapters 12 to 14 in particular—should make people want to study the Bible to learn what it really teaches about the end. This is important. Look at all the false predictions about the end of the world that have duped so many people. No wonder Jesus Himself warned, “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Mark 13:22).
We don’t want to be among the deceived, do we? That’s why we need to prepare now.
Your Redemption Draws Near
But there’s no reason to despair about the things that are happening and that will happen. The Lord loves us and does not want us to be confused or discouraged about the final events. After talking about the signs of the end, Jesus said, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28). What a wonderful promise to us amid the turmoil and struggles of the last days!
Yes, millions of Americans and others believe, with good reason, that we are nearing the end. But we need to be ready. To help you sort through the final events that lead to the Second Coming of Jesus and the end of the world, check out our Study Guide called Ultimate Deliverance—it will help you understand how this world really does end and the good news of what follows!
Now is the time to get ready for the end, whenever it does come. Remember: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28).
It sure is.
Listen to The End Is Nigh. Now What? below