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Is 2012 the End of the World? Perhaps
since Christ made his predictions,
people continue to obsess about the end
of the world.
With the passing of the 20th century lies buried
in the heaps of dust, the failed prophecies of
prominent men who spoke and wrote convincing
tales of the end of the world.
They all were wrong and each passing minute
adds greater witness to their misguided predictions.
Must we suffer more of the same for the 21st century?
If you’re reading this you’re probably familiar
with the granddaddy of all failed predictions of
that past era, Hal Lindsey’s mega seller, The
Late Great Planet Earth.
Well, “1988” was supposed to be the year of the
terminal generation. Can you say 2008? If you
can you know that it has been 20 years since
that time and life goes on.
Now, we’re hearing “2012” as the date when
the world ends. The prediction is actually
not an “end of the world” prediction but a
transition from one level of awareness to
another.
Hmmm, that happens about every second
doesn’t it? So what’s so special about shifts
in awareness as a precursor for the end?
Furthermore, we’ve had transitions from
previous era’s before. The transition from
the Dark Ages to the Age of Reason and
enlightenment was one.
Then, of course there was the transition
from the agricultural age to the industrial
age. Granted there were changes in our
world, but this mostly happened in modern
developed countries.
The Problem With End Time Predictions
One fundamental problem with end times
predictions is the fact that they attempt to
predict the endtime by nailing down a date
at some time in our future.
As long as that path is followed it is an impossible
task. Yet with interpretations from the Mayan
calendar, 2012 is hurled at us as a significant
date with respect to the end time.
On the other hand, men drift to the opposite
end of the spectrum and argue that nothing
can be known regarding the date.
This is largely due to a misreading of Matthew
24:36, which says “Of that day and hour
no man knows, but the Father only.
Mark’s translation says not even the Son.
However, the passage is not generally
understood from a correct historical and
grammatical point of view.
The word “knows” is present tense.
It describes the “then current” knowledge
of Christ during his earthly ministry.
It does not take into account that according
to Christ himself, the Holy Spirit would afterwards
reveal things to come, i.e. things yet
unrevealed by Christ.
What may not be known at one time can
certainly be known later as the next day,
month, year or decade(s). Such was the case.
Christ affirms that His Father revealed to
him, things concerning the eschatatological
day for which the time had drawn near
and which events were shortly to come to
pass. (Revelation 1:1-3).
Jesus seemed powerfully confident that
his coming would occur quickly, (Revelation 22:12),
and in fact so soon, that the wicked would
have little time to change their ways and
hence were urged to be wicked still.
This language is only understood not as
a moral deficiency in God’s character and
desire for man’s salvation, but because
of the urgency of the hour in which the
Parousia would occur.
Hence, the message, “Do not seal the
book for the time had drawn near.”
(Revelation 22:6, 10).
Looking in the Wrong Direction
There are solid biblical reasons why men cannot
accurately prophecy the end. It’s not rocket
science to figure it out. The answers are
written in black and white.
Paul wrote that the end of the ages had
come upon saints living in his very own
generation, (1 Corinthians 10:11).
In our next post, we’ll expand the
evidence on the subject.
