So what does the Bible have to say about the end of the world? When is it going to happen? Is it going to happen? It is something everyone is curious about – even the disciples wanted to know in Matthew 24:3.
And as he (Jesus) sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Interestingly enough, His answer to them was first off – “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Remember when you went to ten different people and got ten different answers? That’s what He’s talking about.
First of all – is there ever even going to be an end to the world? According to God, the only One who knows the future (Hebrews 4:13, I John 3:20), is there going to come a day when the earth will literally be destroyed? II Peter 3:10-12 tells us there will be!
II Peter 3:10-12 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Also:
Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Wow - so according to the Bible, there is going to come a day when all the elements of the earth will melt away, and the earth will literally burn up! Who dare say it will never happen when the Word of God says it will? Remember John 17:17 – His word is truth! This 6,000 or more year old planet is going to be gone one day, and the only question is when? Some say 2012, others say 2014, 2016, 2017, but what does God say?
I encourage you to put away the Mayan calendar, and depend on God’s. According to Revelation 21:1 (shown above), the earth will pass away, and there is going to be a new one. This is a revelation from God about a future event. While we do not know when this is going to happen, we can know 100% sure when it will not happen by looking at Revelation 1-20. The comforting news to most, however, is that we know that it is not going to happen anytime soon. All throughout the Old Testament, the prophets were looking for the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Guess what – He came. More famous than any individual to walk this earth, Jesus Christ lived a short life of 33 ½ years only to be nailed to a cross for crimes He did not commit. Now in the New Testament, the Christian is looking for Him to come back. Jesus told us that He was going to come back for us, and He will. Just like He came the first time, He will come again. God gives us several reminders in the New Testament about this day:
Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
I Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
When Jesus Christ comes back, He is going to take every saved person back up to Heaven with Him. Next on God’s calendar is a seven year tribulation period. This will be a time of peace, but shortly after peace there will be great sorrow and persecution for those who forsook the Christ.
Revelation 13
After the seven years are up, Jesus Christ will come back to earth for a third and final time. He brings His church with Him, locks up the Devil in a fiery prison, and sets up His kingdom.
Revelation 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 20:1-3 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
He will then rule and reign on earth for 1,000 years. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. There will be for the first time ever, heaven on earth. There will be peace that this planet has never experienced before. This time is often referred to as “the millennium”. After the 1,000 years are up, we finally come to Revelation 20:7. Satan will be unleashed by God for a short season the Bible says. How long this season is, we are not sure of. Satan gathers his armies, but unfortunately for them, God sends down fire from heaven and devours them up (Revelation 20:9). Revelation 20 finishes up with the Great White Throne of Judgment when death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-14).
Revelation 20:4, 7-8 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Is it the end of the world? The answer is no. Go with the Mayan calendar if you want, but I choose to go with God’s. Whenever it is He decides to come back for us, the Bible says there will be a 7 year tribulation period. After the 7 years are up, He will come back with us to rule and reign on this earth for 1,000 more years. All this must come to pass before He destroys it, for this is what He has told us in His word.
When is the end of the world? Nobody knows. We know that we’ve got at least 1,007 years to go – the only thing we are waiting for is the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 22:20-21 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly, Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Written on Sunday, 01 August 2010 00:06 by Jacob Norton
