People have been talking about the end of the world for hundreds of years. This topic will always be exciting and acute for humanity, because we are talking about the cessation of the existence of all life on Earth, and the Earth itself as well. This thought makes human hearts tremble, because even if everything is bad around and hard on the soul, a person still wants to LIVE!!! Life is the greatest value for a person.
Today, when the media make it possible to keep abreast of all events, when information is immediately spread around the world, talk about the end of the world is especially common, and words are not always competent people immediately become public knowledge. So for more than a year there has been a hype around 2012. Predictions related to this year are different today. But practically nothing is heard about what the Bible says about the end of the world - the Book of Books, because the very idea of the “end of the world” is taken from it. To explore this question, let's start not from the end, but from the very beginning.
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Why did God create the universe and our planet? To put a person in there. The Bible says that God created humans for eternal life but they sinned, so sin and death entered the world. But God did not reject mankind, He revealed His plan to us, showed us what is good in the eyes of God and what is evil, revealed that after death every person will appear on the court, where he will receive a reward for his deeds. All this was known to people who lived in antiquity. Such statements we see recorded in various Books of the Old Testament.
It is difficult for people who do not know God to understand His purpose. Did God create everything in order to destroy it later? People associate themselves and their lives with the planet Earth, and nothing more. But God's plan for mankind is grandiose. God points out that the Earth, despite all its splendor, cannot be compared with His Kingdom, the new Heaven and the new Earth, which He has prepared for all people who have turned to Him. This world is in evil, because the prince of this world, Satan, reigns in it. Sin, injustice, grief and many other evils destroy the Earth, deprive a person of the fullness of happiness. The Bible says that we are here on earth as strangers and strangers, that here we choose our future, that the soul of every person longs for Heavenly Life, to which God calls us! And, in fact, the “end of the world” comes for every person with the end of his life on Earth.
Yet the Bible says that there will come a time when everything on earth will come to an end and the New Life will begin. Let's take a closer look at this topic.
The Books of the New Testament say more about the end of the world, because Christ Himself came to Earth, as it is written, by the end of the ages:
“He once, at the end of the ages, appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself”(Heb. 9:26).
Christ revealed to His disciples the future of mankind, and in this connection gave them some instructions.
Jesus said:
"Heaven and earth will pass away (pass away), but my words will not pass away"(Matthew 24:35). "Behold, I am with you all the days to the end of the age"(Matthew 28:20). From these words it is clear that the Lord spoke about the end of the existence of the earth and the sky. But Jesus did not reveal to mankind the day on which the end of the world would come, but gave us the signs of this end, warning us in advance that this day would come unexpectedly.
“But no one knows about that day and hour, not even the angels in heaven, but only My Father alone”(Matthew 24:36). “Watch therefore, for you do not know at what hour your Lord will come. But you know that if the owner of the house had known what watch the thief would come in, he would have been awake and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore be ready also, for at an hour you think not, the Son of Man will come” (Matt. 24:43-44).
“When He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him in private and asked: Tell us, when will this be? and what is the sign of your coming and the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). So, let's see what Jesus said to his disciples about the signs of the end of the age:
The first thing Jesus said was about the appearance of false Christs: “Jesus answered and said to them, Beware lest anyone deceive you, for many will come under my name and say, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5). “Then if anyone says to you, Behold, Christ is here, or there, believe it not. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I told you beforehand. So if they say to you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; ‘behold, He is in the secret rooms’, don’t believe; For as lightning comes from the east and is visible even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:23-27).
Christ said of wars and rumors of war: “You will also hear about wars and war rumors. Look, do not be horrified, for all this must be, but this is not the end yet: for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matt. 24:6-7).
Famine and earthquakes:
“And there will be famines, plagues and earthquakes in places; yet this is the beginning of diseases (the beginning of the end of the Earth) ”(Matthew 24:7b-8).
Persecution of Christians:“Then they will hand you over to torture and kill you; and you will be hated by all nations because of my name” (Matthew 24:9).
The appearance of false prophets, the cooling of faith in people:
“... And then many will be offended, and they will betray each other, and they will hate each other; and many false prophets will arise and deceive many” (Matthew 24:10-11).
The multiplication of lawlessness and the cooling of love: “And because of the increase of iniquity, the love of many will grow cold; whoever endures to the end shall be saved.”(Matthew 24:12-13).
The Good News will be preached throughout the earth: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
Great tribulations and cataclysms, the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: The Revelation of John the Theologian describes the great tribulations that will befall the Earth and those who live on it. These are: 7 seals - (Rev. 5-6 ch.); 7 pipes - (Rev. 8-9 ch.); 7 bowls - (Rev. 15-16 ch.) . “And suddenly, after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heaven will be shaken; then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven; and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory...” (Matthew 24:29-31).
The apostles also gave signs of the approaching end of the world.
Peter warns us about the appearance before the end of the world of "impudent scoffers":
“Know first of all that in the last days there will come scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers began to die, from the beginning of creation, everything remains the same. Those who think so do not know that in the beginning, by the word of God, the heavens and the earth were composed of water and water: therefore, the world of that time perished, having been drowned by water. But the present heavens and earth, which are contained by the same Word, are stored up for fire for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Pet. 3:3-7).
Who are they "brazen scoundrels" according to the apostle Peter? These are people who do not believe in the end of the world. Why don't they believe in him? Because they do not believe in the beginning either: they do not believe that God gave everything a beginning, that the Lord God created the universe, the earth and everything that fills it. Therefore, they do not believe that God has appointed an end to everything. You see what an interesting regularity exists in human reasoning: disbelief in the beginning gives rise to disbelief in the end.
Paul writes to Timothy about the last days: “Know that in the last days there will be hard times. For people will be self-loving, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, ungodly, unfriendly, implacable, slanderers, intemperate, cruel, not loving good, traitors, insolent, pompous, more voluptuous than lovers of God, having an appearance of piety, but his powers are denied. Turn away from such” (2 Tim. 3:1-5).
Paul warns Timothy - a young minister - about the progressive degradation of morality and morality in society before the very end of the world. This degradation is now visible as never before. One has only to look at what is shown on TV today and compare it with what was shown 20 years ago.
Paul's letter to the Thessalonians says that in those days "peace and security" will be proclaimed:
“There is no need to write to you about times and dates, brethren, for you yourselves know for certain that the day of the Lord will come like a thief (thief) in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them, as childbirth comes upon a woman with child, and they will not escape" (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).
Theologians suggest that after a time of wars and terror, peace will suddenly be restored on earth, which will be established by the Antichrist, who reigned at the head of the world government. And just at the moment when world peace will be proclaimed, then the great tribulation will suddenly begin, because God will judge the inhabitants of the earth. At this time, people will seek their own death, but, as the Scripture says, it will flee from them. (Rev. 9:6).
Of course, this begs the question: is it possible to somehow avoid the end of the world? The end of the world is inevitable. The end of the world cannot be prevented. Lord
"...appointed a day on which he will rightly judge the universe"(Acts 17:31). And the word of God is unshakable. What He promised He will do:
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away(will not change)” (Matthew 24:35). So the end of the world is coming. And when the time comes
“... the day of the Lord will come, like a thief(thief) at night, and then the heavens will pass away with a noise, the elements, having flared up, will be destroyed, the earth and all the works on it will burn.(2 Pet. 3:10).
“Well, how will it be possible to prepare for the end of the world?”- you ask? All these signs of the approaching end should be an occasion for people to pay attention to their lives and be reconciled to God.
Not so long ago, a public opinion poll was conducted. Different people asked: "What will you do if the end of the world begins?" Most answered that they would drink, walk, have fun. In general, enjoy the last days of life. And no one said that he would think about his life, repent of his sins, try at least in the last days to change and live them differently. Scripture says that
"...everyone who calls on the name of God will be saved"(Rom. 10:13). Sometimes a person says: “I am so bad, nothing can be changed, what will happen ...” And this is followed by neither faith nor prayer, and the person perishes for the future. And if he says: “I am useless. Lord save me! You can save me!" God will definitely come to meet this person.
If you have already made peace with God, then you have nothing to fear. Scripture tells us that before hard times come, God promises to take His Church from the Earth: “...Watch therefore at all times and pray that you may be able to avoid all these future disasters and stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36). “To serve the living and true God, and to wait from heaven for his Son, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath” (1 Thessalonians 1:9,10). “... The Lord Himself, with an announcement, with the voice of the Archangel and the trumpet of God, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first; then we, the survivors, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. So comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). “…Because God has not determined us to be angry, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”(1 Thessalonians 5:9).
The great tribulation judgments are at hand. God informs us of these judgments before they begin. What for? So that we can avoid them. God wants no one to experience the judgments of great tribulation and eternal hell. He wants everyone to turn to Jesus Christ and find the joy of salvation in Heaven, but he gives this choice to every person.
Reply to: elena premydraya 2 (#40) In Daniel ch. 9 st.26,27 says that "the city and the sanctuary will be destroyed by the people of the leader, who will come, and its end will be like a flood, and until the end of the war there will be devastation" The war is spiritual between the Lord and the devil. In the Epistle to the Ephesians, Chapter 6, Articles 11-17, it is said that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirits of wickedness in high places ..", against the devil and his spirits "And the spiritual sword against the devil is the Word of God of the Holy Scriptures, the Word of the Bible. This spiritual war is spoken of in the Apocalypse and the book of Daniel. The secrets of the Apocalypse are open. No one will know the day and hour of the Lord's Coming to earth, but the signs by which one can determine that the end of this world is near, can be read in the Bible. The Bible is the book of the life of people on earth. The Apocalypse is one of the prophetic books of the Bible. This book was sealed until the last time (Apoc. ch.5.1; Isaiah ch.29, 11), that is, before the beginning of the judgment of the Lord over the peoples of Babylon, which is mentioned in Chapter 17 of the Apocalypse. earth") In Apoc. ch.17 it is represented sitting on the beast ba muddy, on the waters of many. The beast has seven heads, seven kings. Many waters - people and peoples, tribes and languages. This secret Babylon was intoxicated with the blood of the saints. The Lord mysteriously called Babylon an atheistic state - the USSR, which was created from people of different nationalities. This state was led by seven kings who fought against the Church of the Lord, and many believers were destroyed in this state. This state was supposed to be formed on earth at the end of some millennium from the birth of Christ, as mentioned in the Apocalypse, Chapter 20, Articles 7-8. The "thousand" of years referred to in this chapter refers to some millennium A.D., in this case 2000 years A.D., which ended in March 2001 A.D. Lunar calendar Biblical timing. At the end of the millennium, Babylon was to fall, and, in its fall, it was to be divided into three parts (Apoc. ch.17; ch.16, article 19), which happened on earth: the USSR, having existed for 70 years ( and this is also written in the Bible: Jeremiah ch.25, st.11-15; Jer.ch.29,8-14), for our future is hidden in our past (book of Ecclesiastes ch.1, st.9-10 ), the USSR fell, and during its fall it was divided into three parts, into three states: Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, and the pagan cities fell (the union republics separated). Daniel, in his book ch.2,40-44, adds that these divided states will be partly strong, partly fragile (the economic situation of the divided states), they will mix with each other through the human seed (people of different nationalities), but into one state will no longer merge. And in the days of these divided states, the Lord will come to earth in the second Coming, about which He Himself speaks through the Prophet Daniel, chapter 2, article 44. Another of the signs of the end of this world, by which one can determine that the Lord is already near, is the Prophecy of the Savior Himself, about which He speaks to His Disciples: Mt.gl.24; Mk.ch.13; Lk.ch.21. The Lord warns": "When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. These are the days of revenge. May all that is written be fulfilled," says the Lord in the Gospel of Luke ch. 21, 20. These events were to take place on earth at the end of 2000 years from R. X, in the middle of the week, which is mentioned in the prophet Daniel ch. 9, 27 (Luke 21:20: Matt. 24:15) The week Daniel speaks of is the seven years that began in March 2001. Half of the week falls on September 2004 according to the lunar calendar. events were to take place on earth, to which the Lord Himself points out in Luke ch.20:21; .24.24), in order to gather a multitude of people to battle with the Lord (the battlefield is the heart of man), and they surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city: Luke 21.20, Jerusalem. In the Apocalypse, the Lord speaks of the judgment of Babylon ( Apoc. ch.17, ch.18, ch.13, ch.14,6-8), over the nations former USSR that was created on earth ancient Russia, The capital of Russia is Kyiv. It was this city that the Lord secretly called Jerusalem, which in the middle of the week, after September 2004, was "surrounded by troops" and all the peoples of the earth saw these events. The world is waiting for the reign of the Antichrist on earth, who will sit in the flesh in the rebuilt temple and will "reign" on earth. This "prophecy" does not match the prophecies of the Bible. The devil cannot materialize, he can only inhabit the souls and bodies of people who do not fulfill the Laws of the Lord. The Lord Himself speaks of this in the Gospel of Matt. ch.12, st.43-45. In the Apocalypse. and the Book of Daniel does not have the words "antichrist", there are the words: "the beast with seven heads and ten horns" and "another beast", which people in the world call the antichrist, and which already reigns on earth. In his 1 Epistle, John, speaking about the end times, warned that when many antichrists appear on earth (it is written about the people of the end times in 2 Epistle to Timothy ch.3), then this is the end time. In his 2 Epistle, John explains that every person who does not fulfill the Laws of the Lord is a deceiver and antichrist. On the basis of these Biblical prophecies, which have already taken place on earth, we can add the words of the Lord that He tells us: Lk.21,31 "When you see all that come true, know that the Kingdom of God is near." Mt.gl.24,33 And "When you see all this, know that it is near, at the door." At one time, the Lord spoke to Daniel ch.12,4: "You, Daniel, hide these words, and seal this book until the last time." In our last time, the Lord says to John: "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand" (Apoc. ch.22,10).
- Introduction
The theme of the coming end of the world, when the creation will appear in all the fullness of perfection, is included integral part in many works of biblical writing. Ideas about the end of the world have developed and significantly supplemented over the centuries; below we present the most significant of the texts that speak of this in chronological order.
The Bible says that the world we live in has a beginning because it was created by God. This world is not eternal, but exists in time; temporality is its inherent property. For biblical authors, the existence of the beginning of the world naturally implies the existence of the end, since time is a fundamentally different way of being than eternity, and cannot be unlimited. This idea of a developing world that has a beginning and an end is also fundamentally important for the biblical understanding of history as a directed process in which the Almighty's plan for the world and man unfolds.
At the beginning of the history of biblical Revelation, the chosen people had an idea of some mysterious day of the coming victory of God, which would complete the history of mankind. The basis for this was the numerous vicissitudes of the history of Israel, in which the deliverance of the people from disasters and catastrophes was due to the protection of God. These large-scale events are described in the books of Exodus and Joshua, Judges and Kings. Here the people of God are faced with external enemies who often greatly outnumber them both militarily and culturally. However, trust in God leads to the fact that He intervenes in events through chosen men - judges, prophets and kings, and ensures victory over enemies and the preservation of Israel from destruction. On this historical basis, an idea was formed about the coming Day of the Lord, when final victory Israel over all its enemies (who were also considered enemies of God).
- Visitation Day of the Early Prophets
Over the following centuries, this simplified view has undergone significant changes. This was mainly due to the ministry of the biblical prophets, for whom the Day of the Lord was one of the main topics of their preaching.
Briefly, the main provisions of the prophetic teaching about the end of the world and the Day of the Lord are as follows. The prophets speak of the end of the world as the Day of the Visitation, when God Himself mysteriously appear in the world and visit his people. Associated with this visitation of God will be the shame of the Gentiles, the deliverance of Israel - but also the judgment of all nations, including Israel. This visitation of God's prophets was portrayed as a universal catastrophe in which everything unworthy of the greatness of the Creator is destroyed. Therefore they often called the Day of the Lord a day of darkness and a day of wrath, a day of judgment. At the same time, all evil will be expelled from the created world, even death itself will be defeated.
The prophets associated the coming Day of the Visitation with the coming of Christ; for them, the appearance of Christ and the Visitation of God coincided in many ways. So the prophets intimately expressed the message that Christ the Savior would be not just a great man, but the Incarnate Son of God.
Usually the words of the prophets about the end of the world combine three key aspects. The prophets speak of the events of contemporary history, in which they see the prototypes of the coming end of the world. Based on these types, the prophets announce the coming of Christ, which should become a turning point in the history of the world. What is revealed to them about the end of time, the prophets often combine with the news of the coming of Christ.
The historical sequence of future events was not as clear to the prophets as it was to them. spiritual meaning; therefore, most of the prophets combined in their preaching the coming of Christ and the end of history. It's not a mistake; on the contrary, in the New Testament, the coming of Christ is the beginning of judgment on the world and God's victory over evil.
These are common features prophetic teaching about the end of the world, which they often called "that day", however, in the book of each prophet, features specific to him are also highlighted.
- Amos
The prophet Amos for the first time explicitly speaks of the Day of the Lord as the Day of Visitation: "I will pass among you," God speaks through the mouth of a prophet. Amos addresses those who hoped that the Day of the Lord would be a kind of historical "happy ending" for Israel: "Woe to those who desire the Day of the Lord ... it is darkness, not light." This day will be a judgment on all people, not excluding Israel, to whom God, by virtue of election, makes exceptional moral demands. In addition, through Amos, the Lord says that on "that day" the fallen tabernacle of the house of David will be restored - this is a prophecy about Christ, who will be a descendant of David.
- Hosea
A younger contemporary of the prophet Amos, Hosea also speaks of the Judgment of God, which at the end of time awaits all the deeds of people. But Hosea proclaims that the end of the world will be marked by God's victory over all evil and sin. The all-conquering mercy of the Creator will triumph, and even the most important, "last" enemy - death - will be defeated.
- Micah
The prophet Micah, who lived a little later than Amos and Hosea, sees the coming Day of the Visitation as a manifestation of God Himself: God “steps” on the heights of the earth, and the mountains melt before the majesty of His glory. Thus, at the end of time, God, whom all creation cannot contain, will appear to the world in fullness. The words of the Gospel of John speak of the fulfillment of this prophecy: “No one has ever seen God; The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made manifest” (John 1:18).
- Isaiah of Jerusalem
The last prophet of the 8th century BC, Isaiah of Jerusalem, also portrays the Day of the Lord as the day of Judgment and the victory of God. But besides this, Isaiah speaks of it as a day of salvation, which God will accomplish through Christ, a descendant of David born of the Virgin. “A baby is born to us - a Son is given to us,” says Isaiah, and in Him God Himself will intervene in the course of history. With the advent of Christ, the whole creation will change irreversibly, evil and violence will be defeated, and there will be no place for them on the transfigured earth. The striking image of a wolf living with a lamb is one of the most famous biblical descriptions of the coming renewal of the world. Isaiah also says that on the Day of the Lord, not only the chosen people, but also the Gentiles, will turn to God and find salvation. But deliverance in the glory of Christ, the peace of God, open to all people in His Kingdom, is at the same time the death of all sin.
- Amos
- Day of the Lord among the prophets of the pre-exilic era and captivity
- Zephaniah: Day of Trumpet and Cursing
In the prophecy of Zephaniah, who lived at the end of the 7th century. BC, new aspects of the coming end of the world are revealed. He appears to the eyes of the prophet as a feast at which the sacrifice of the Lord will be slain. At this feast the chosen children of God will gather; for sinners, it will be a day of blinding, since a sinning person loses the ability to see the world in its true light. Zephaniah calls the end of the world a day of wrath and battle, and says that this day is near. In this case, however, we are talking not so much about the historical perspective, but about the inevitability of the Day of Judgment.
- Ezekiel
In the first half of the 6th c. BC the prophet Ezekiel, for whom the destruction of Jerusalem was a type of the end of the world, proclaims that the Day of the Lord will be the day of the renewal of the world. Ezekiel speaks of a mysterious Shepherd who will come in those days. He will "stand in the breach of the wall" to protect His sheep from disaster. None of the people can do this, each of them is responsible for his own and only his own affairs. Only Christ, the Shepherd of Israel, will protect the people. At the end of his book, the prophet Ezekiel describes the end of the world as a battle between God and the forces of evil. The defeat of Gog, the king of the north, symbolizing the forces of evil, has become a characteristic image of the biblical apocalyptic. The main thing in the prophecy about the universal victory of God over evil and death is the news that at the end of time God will conclude a New covenant with people, and the Spirit of God will turn the stony hearts of people into flesh, breathe into them new life.
- Isaiah of Babylon (Deut. Isaiah): Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness
The author of the second half of the book of Isaiah, traditionally called Isaiah of Babylon or Deutero-Isaiah, begins his words with a prophecy about the deliverance that God Himself will bring about. Like other prophets, Deutero-Isaiah combines the vision of three different events. The return of Israel from the Babylonian captivity and the restoration of Jerusalem are for him a type of the coming coming of the Messiah and the end of the world, when the glory of God will be revealed to all creation. The words of DeuteroIsaiah about the voice of one crying five centuries later would be applied to himself by John the Baptist.
- Zechariah: salvation for all
The younger contemporary of Isaiah of Babylon, the prophet Zechariah, also considers captivity and the return from it as types of the coming Judgment. At the end of the first half of the book of Zechariah, which belongs to him, he says that in the last days all nations will turn to the God of Israel, and God will be the salvation of those who resort to Him.
- Zephaniah: Day of Trumpet and Cursing
- Day of the Lord among the prophets of the era of the Second Temple
In the era of the Second Temple, the prophecies about the Day of the Lord become more specific; Judgment on the nations and the Day of the Lord's wrath recede into the background. "That day" for the prophets of this period is mainly associated with the coming of Christ and His saving ministry.
- Malachi: God will send Elijah
In the middle of the 5th c. BC, the prophet Malachi says that before the coming of the Day of the Lord, God will send the prophet Elijah to the people, who will announce the coming of the last times. This prophecy was fulfilled in the ministry of John the Baptist, whom the Angel of the Lord, referring to his father Zechariah, calls "a prophet in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17).
- Joel: Day of the outpouring of the Spirit of God
As if continuing the prophecy of Ezekiel about the New Testament, at the turn of the 4th-5th centuries BC, the prophet Joel says that in the last days God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh, and many people will be able to hear the Word of God as directly as His chosen men hear Lord's prophets. These days will be accompanied by signs of a universal scale, the sun will fade and the moon will turn into blood. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, says Joel. Thus, the elect who will be saved on the Day of the Lord are those who turn to the God of Israel and call on the name of the Lord.
- Zechariah (Deuterochariah): they will look at him, whom they pierced
A special place in the biblical prophecies about the end of the world is occupied by the words of an unknown named contemporary of Joel, the author of the second half of the book of Zechariah. In Deuterochariah, the Day of Judgment appears as a settlement between people and God, when people give God payment for His good deeds. Thirty pieces of silver are weighed by people in payment to the Lord - this terrible detail emphasizes that end times begin in the history of the world with the advent of Christ.
But Deuterochariah also speaks of the Day of Judgment as the Day of salvation, when God will protect people from destruction. In these last times, people will look to the Christ they have pierced, and a source of tears will be opened in their hearts to wash away sin and impurity. The lamentation in Jerusalem reminds Deuterochariah of the ancient battle of Megiddo (Armageddon). After these words of Deuterochariah, this battle (historically related, probably to 622, the time of King Josiah) becomes one of the most famous symbols of the end of the world. - Daniel
In the 4th c. BC, the author of the book of Daniel announces that the time of the coming coming of Christ and the Day of Judgment has been fixed. The mysterious, and not deciphered by people, the terms that Daniel speaks of have already been measured out. The main event of the Day of the Lord Daniel calls the death of Christ; but after that, some time will pass until the end of the world, which will be the era of the "covenant for many."
- Malachi: God will send Elijah
- Gospel
With the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the prophecies of the Old Testament about the last days begin to be fulfilled. Christ tells the disciples that John the Baptist is the same prophet of the last days that Malachi announced. Judgment on the world, which the prophets expected with trepidation and hope, begins in the days of Christ.
The words of the Lord Jesus Christ about the end of the world, which He spoke to the disciples on the Mount of Olives, were called the "Apocalypse of the Synoptics" because they are almost equally recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Matthew gives them a little more detail.
Here the Lord says that the end of the world will be marked by the coming of Christ in glory; like lightning from the edge of the sky to the edge, it will be revealed to all people. But before that time, many disasters and enmity against the faithful of God await mankind. The most important feature of the last days, which Christ calls to the disciples, is that His gospel will be preached to all nations, so that all people will hear about Him and have the opportunity to call on the name of the Lord. False Christs and false prophets will try to draw people along with them; only faithfulness and trust in God will help the elect to endure these terrible times.
Christ tells the disciples that although the time of the end of the world is fixed, no one but Heavenly Father knows about that day and hour. Judgment will be a surprise for which one cannot prepare in advance. As a thief sneaks up in the night, the last day of the world will approach people. Therefore, Christ commands the disciples to watch and always be ready for the end.
The Evangelist John supplements the Apocalypse of the Synoptics with a number of significant aspects. He cites the words of Christ that the judgment has already begun and the Word of Christ before last day will judge people. Furthermore, Christ says in the Gospel of John that the end of the world will be connected with the resurrection of the dead; for some, it will be the door to life, and for others, to death. Christ explains the criteria for this judgment to the disciples in a conversation about the Last Judgment, which was recorded by the Evangelist Matthew. People of all nations will be judged according to how they acted towards others. “What you have done to people,” says Christ, “you have done to me.” Mercy to one's neighbor and good done to people are the main criteria that determine the eternal destiny of people.
But Christ proclaims to his disciples that the way to resurrection and life is already open to those who believe. The flesh and blood of Christ become for them the food of eternal life, the Lord's Meal, foretold by the prophet Ezekiel.
The most important revelation for the Gospel about the life of Christians on the eve of the end are the final words of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew: "Behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age."
- Acts
The Evangelist Luke reports at the beginning of the book of the Acts of the Apostles that he quotes the words spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ to the disciples at the time of His Ascension. To the question of the disciples whether the prophecies about the end of time are being fulfilled at the present moment, the Lord says that it is not given to the disciples to know the times and dates. Instead, according to the prophecy of Joel, they will be given the Holy Spirit, Whose grace-filled action will lay the foundation for the life of the future age in the disciples. This reaffirms the opportunity, discovered in the Gospel of John, for the disciples of Christ to pass from death into life now. In the second chapter of Acts, on the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter asserts that the miracle that took place on the apostles is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. Thus, according to the ancient Christian tradition, his prophecy about the fading sun refers to the darkness that covered Golgotha at the moment death on the cross Christ.
- Messages
The disciples of Christ in their epistles repeatedly refer to the theme of the end of the world. The epistles confirm the gospel message that for believers the Day of the Lord is both future and present. Among the first Christians, it was widely believed that the end of the world would come soon after the Resurrection of Christ. However, over time, this point of view ceases to be generally accepted.
The apostles chiefly speak of the end of the world as the coming of Christ in glory; The Lord's Day in the apostolic environment is often called the first day of the week, when Christians celebrate the Resurrection and the Lord is with them in the sacrament of the Eucharist. The coming of Christ will entail the resurrection of the dead and new life in a renewed - delivered from evil and transfigured world.
In the epistles, the apostles consider the time after the Resurrection of Christ as "the last times", because with the coming of Christ all the dates were fulfilled and the "fullness of times" came. This time, the duration of which is unknown, should be used to, following the example of Christ, actively bring God's love into the world and do good. The expectation of the Lord's Day also requires Christians to be vigilant - an inner readiness to stand before the Savior. Thus, the Kingdom of Heaven is realized in the Church, which has yet to appear in its fullness. The life of a Christian thus proceeds in the Kingdom of Heaven even before his final victory.
Continuing what Christ said about the signs of the approaching end of the world, the apostle Paul supplements this with several important things. Firstly, he says that in the last times, the enemy of God, the Antichrist, will appear in the world in human form, who will try to drag people along with him. Secondly, the apostle Paul believes that before the end of the world, the last of the nations, the chosen people will turn to Christ, thereby sealing total number believers. The apostle also proclaims that on the Day of the Lord not only the dead will rise, but also the survivors, "changed", will meet the Lord.
The Apostle Peter, confirming the words of the Apostle Paul, speaks of the end of the world as a universal catastrophe. The fact that the date of the end is postponed, Peter considers a manifestation of the mercy and longsuffering of God, giving people the opportunity to convert and believe.
- Apocalypse: New Heaven and New Earth
The final book of the Bible, the Revelation of John the Evangelist or the Apocalypse, is dedicated specifically to the fate of the world and the Church. Revelation sums up everything that has been said about this in the biblical tradition. The Apostle John resorts in it to images borrowed from Old Testament prophecies, thereby emphasizing the continuity of Old Testament and New Testament revelation. The book of Revelation ends with a prophecy that God's victory over sin will crown the uphill struggle. In the renewed creation (“new heaven and new earth”) God will dwell among people in the eternal Heavenly Jerusalem. The book of Revelation ends with the words “come, Lord Jesus,” which forever became for the disciples of Christ an expression of an ardent desire to bring this coming victory closer.
What is the end of the world?
About the approaching end of the world according to the Bible
1. What is the end of the world?
A. Old Testament about the end of the world:
End of the world (of the world) in Old Testament is associated with the Day of Yahweh (Joel 2) - the day on which the Creator will appear to judge the whole world and reward the righteous and the wicked according to their merits. This day is also described in: Isaiah 2:2-5; Joel 3:1; Amos 9; Zechariah 14.
Also, the end of the world is associated with God's judgment (Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:14) and life after death: Daniel 12:2-3 “And many of those sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken, some to eternal life, others to eternal reproach and shame. And the prudent ones will shine like the luminaries in the firmament, and those who turn many to the truth - like stars, forever, forever. Isaiah 66:22-24 “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I will create will always be before me, says the Lord, so will your seed and your name be. Then from month to month, and from Saturday to Saturday, all flesh will come before me to worship, says the Lord. And they will come out and see the corpses of people who have departed from me: for their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched; and they will be an abomination to all flesh.”
B. New Testament about the end of the world:
In the New Testament, the idea of the end of the world is associated with
- Great Judgment (Matthew 7:22, Revelation 6:17, Hebrews 9:27),
— Great tribulations(Matthew 24:22)
— Second Coming of Christ(Acts 1:10-11; Matthew 24:3, 37, 39; James 5:7-8) and
— resurrection of the dead(John 6:39; John 6:44,54; John 12:48).
2. What end of the world will it be?
This will be the end of our world in which we live. Not everything that exists, but only our material world: our space and time.
Who is the god of this world? – Satan ( 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “But even if our gospel is closed, it is closed to those who are perishing, to unbelievers, whose minds the God of this world has blinded”). - It is this century (of the world) that will end!
The former era (age, world) will pass. And the time of another age (of the world) will come: in Ephesians 1:19b-21, Matthew 12:32, Luke 18:30 speaks of "the present age" and "the age to come." The new era that will begin will be the era of the Kingdom of God throughout the universe.
In the Revelation of John the Evangelist we read: And I saw a new heaven and new land for the former heaven and the former earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.” (Revelation 21:1)
3. Why should the end of the world come?
First, the end of the world must come because everything that has a beginning must come to an end. Secondly, the end of the world is spoken of in the Word of God - the Bible (in the Old and New Testaments). And, thirdly, the Lord Jesus himself testified about the approach of the end of the world. And we will talk about His testimony in detail when we turn to the signs of the end of the world. The main thing is that God himself warned us about the approaching end of the world, and His word can be trusted, because it is true and unchanging:
Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."
Matthew 28:20 "Behold, I am with you all the days to the end of the age."
4. When will the world end?
Matthew 24:36 « No one knows about that day and hour nor the angels of heaven, but only My Father alone." Matthew 24:34 “Truly I say to you: this generation will not pass away how it will all be."
Matthew 24:42-44 "So stay awake, because you do not know what hour your Lord will come. But you know that if the owner of the house had known what watch the thief would come in, he would have been awake and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for at what hour you do not think, the Son of Man will come.”
Jesus did not reveal to mankind the day on which the end of the world would come, but He gave us the signs of this end, warning us in advance that this day would come unexpectedly: like snow on our heads.
5. Who will be affected by the end of the world?
Jesus' parable about the end of the world:
Matthew 13:24-30 “He offered them another parable, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; while the people were asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and left; when the grass sprang up and the fruit appeared, then the tares also appeared. And when the servants of the householder came, they said to him: Master! Have you not sown good seed in your field? where are the tares on it? He said to them, The enemy of man has done this. And the servants said to him: Do you want us to go and choose them? But he said, No, lest when you pick up the tares you pull up the wheat with them, let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares and bind them in sheaves to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Jesus Explaining the Parable: Matthew 13:36-43 “Then Jesus, dismissing the people, went into the house. And coming to Him, His disciples said: Explain to us the parable of the tares in the field. He answered and said to them, He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore, just as the tares are gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of this age: the Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather from His Kingdom all stumbling blocks and those who do iniquity, and cast them into a fiery furnace; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth; then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!”
If you are even a little familiar with the Holy Scriptures and other religious books, then you are aware that christian religion portends the end of the world. Biblical Scripture clearly speaks of God's creation of the world and its impermanence.
With a careful study of the biblical chapters, it becomes clear that our planet must survive the short-term reign of the Antichrist, after which the second coming of the Savior must occur.
There will be a battle between good and evil, which will end with the victory of the light forces over the dark ones, and it is this accomplishment that will mark the end of the world. Eternal heavenly life will be prepared for mankind, each person will be subject to the Last Judgment and answer for their own sins.
Biblical predictions indicate that before the Day of Judgment, the reconstruction of the Second Temple of Christ, built on Jerusalem land, should be completed. By the way, the construction of the temple is already at the design stage. Apparently, in December of this year, the end of the world will still take place.
But it is worth saying that not a single scripture mentions the exact date of the second coming. Believers explain it in their own way. They say that for Christianity, the spiritual salvation of man has always been in the first place, therefore the whole point is not in the Day of Judgment itself, but in the possibility of repentance and repentance that every mortal can find.
The Bible does not say about the exact date of the end of the world, and on the basis of this, preachers, clergymen and all others interpret the scripture in their favor. Old Testament and others scriptures, which were written before our era, say that only the birth of the son of God marks the beginning of the countdown, after which mankind will see ten omens that foreshadow the beginning of the Apocalypse.
Gradually, the prophecies come into force. Let's try to recall the Gospel of John, which says that exact time the end of the world is known only to God, and judgment has already come.
It will continue until everyone, whether living or dead, is given the divine verdict.
The Apocalypse will be preceded by the resurrection of the dead, who one by one will be responsible for their own actions. For some, the terrible Judgment will open the doors to the kingdom of paradise, while for others it will condemn them to eternal death.
Biblical predictions say that the end of the world does not mean the end of direct meaning this word. It should not be thought that the whole universe will perish. The Bible indicates the beginning of a new era for mankind, people will do good deeds and live according to divine laws. Such an explanation of the apocalypse can be given by the Gospel of Matthew.
What will the world be like after the end of the world?
The Bible itself answers this question. recent chapters dedicated to the Apocalypse. Read the Revelation of John the Theologian, which makes it clear that the earth and heaven will become new, God will descend to earth to be among mortals.
Unfortunately, biblical prophecies are silent about the catastrophe preceding the new era, so they are very difficult to link with other predictions that describe the collapse of the destruction of the Earth in every detail and indicate the exact time - 12/21/12.
Biblical End of the World
It should be said that none world religion does not speak of the beginning of the end, it is about gaining a new life ... "the other world", so the Biblical end of the world should be understood as the end of the earthly world.
The Bible considers the Apocalypse one of the most terrible events: the Hour of Judgment will come, the righteous will ascend to heaven, and the sinners will go to hellish halls. Every person will experience guilt even for the most insignificant sin, and there is not a single person in the world who has not sinned at least once.
Jesus' Parable of the Beginning of the End: Matthew 13:24-30
“He offered them another parable, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; while the people were asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and left; when the grass sprang up and the fruit appeared, then the tares also appeared. And when the servants of the householder came, they said to him: Master! Have you not sown good seed in your field? where are the tares on it? He said to them, The enemy of man has done this.
And the servants said to him: Do you want us to go and choose them? But he said, No, lest when you pick up the tares you pull up the wheat with them, let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares and bind them in sheaves to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Christ Explaining the Parable: Matthew 13:36-43
“Then Jesus, dismissing the people, went into the house. And coming to Him, His disciples said: Explain to us the parable of the tares in the field.
He answered and said to them, He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
Therefore, just as the tares are gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of this age: the Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather from His Kingdom all stumbling blocks and those who do iniquity, and cast them into a fiery furnace; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth; then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Another parable of Jesus about the beginning of the end: Matthew 13:47-50
“The Kingdom of Heaven is also like a net thrown into the sea and capturing fish of every kind, which, when it was full, they dragged it ashore and sat down, collected the good in vessels, and threw the bad out. So it will be at the end of the age: angels will come out and separate the evil from among the righteous, and cast them into the fiery furnace: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Alas, according to the biblical books, the end of the world does not have an exact time, and we can only use the basic information and signs of the apocalypse.
Let's see what these signs are:
- an idle existence will turn out to be sweeter than a spiritual one, and many people will give up the church;
- the world will be ruled by anger and chaos;
- priests will be persecuted and churches destroyed;
- believers will be persecuted;
- False prophets will start appearing all over the world.
Now let's take a look at what we have on this moment: false prophets appear everywhere, who call themselves the sons of God, the people laugh at Christianity, and the worst thing is that he hates himself and stirs up wars.
It is quite possible that death is already close, and 2012 is the beginning of the end of the world according to the Bible, Judgment Day.
Now we offer to look at the prophecies of John the Evangelist and understand whether he predicted the beginning of the end in 2012.
The New Testament says that the blessed one received visions. He saw the earth enveloped in flames. Perhaps the flame is a symbol nuclear explosion, incinerating vast territories in an instant. We can see for ourselves to what extent the situation in the world is tense, especially in the countries of the East. We cannot say with 100% certainty that next year there will be no World War III.
The Lord God knows everything in advance, and as it turned out later, many miracles were astronomical phenomena. Can we say that the end of the world will happen in December, just when we expect to see the alignment of the planets? If everything turns out in this way, then today we need to prepare for the Last Judgment.
The end of the world according to biblical legends is also described by the words of St. Paul: not all people will die, but everything will change. What did Paul mean: a quantum leap, a transition to another world, a change in consciousness?
Now humanity is on the eve of the discovery of a new dimension, when it appears in which it will be able to reach hitherto unseen spiritual heights. The evolutionary leap is like the end of the world.
The end of the world that existed before the evolutionary leap is implied. So far, millions of inhabitants of our planet remain unprepared for such events and changes in the world. And apparently, now is the time to prepare yourself for new life conditions associated with a change in consciousness.
You can also learn interesting facts:
You can hear about the coming of the end of the world in the coming years from modern predictors and scientists, but world religions do not tell exactly when this will happen, but only note that at that time the planet Earth will undergo significant changes.
Many world religions include a number of teachings that the end of the world is inevitable. As for the script, it is similar everywhere, but there are nuances in the details.