Do You Live In Fear of the Imminent End of the World?

Relax. You'll be just fine. Here's a message of hope. For too long the world has lived and labored under the destructive mindset that everything is going to hell in a hen basket. As usually is the case the loudest voices lack substantive proof.

Consider a different end-time perspective, not because it may be new to you, but simply because it has validity based upon evidence.

The Critical Problem of Time

Where did the idea of the imminent destruction of the universe originate in the first place? On May 22, 2000, in USA Today, Irvin Baxter prophesies a war for the near future in which two billion people will die. Men obsess with predicting the end of the world.

People have been predicting the end of the world since the close of the first century? The irony is, when the "end of the world" was imminent, men obsessed with its continuation (2 Peter 3:4). Now that the predicted end occurred many modern day prophets yet proclaim the imminent end of the world and all life on the planet.

The Promise to Never Destroy the Earth

After bringing a flood upon the earth to destroy all living things because of man's evil, Genesis 6:5, God promises that He would never again curse the ground or destroy every living thing as he had done. His promise is, 'While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease. (Genesis 8:21, 22).

Someone may respond that this begs the question of how long does the earth remain? The answer is forever. Solomon said, one generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth abides forever. (Ecclesiastes 1:4). David recorded that God made a decree stating the sun, moon, stars and the heavens were established forever and would not pass away. (Psalms 148:4-6)

The Predicted End of the World

What is commonly known as the prediction of the end of the world is often misunderstood and more often misapplied. Jesus is asked by disciples after hearing about the destruction of the temple, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age." (Matthew 24:3)

Some translations will supply "world" instead of age. This is not an accurate rendering. The word "age" from aeon is correct. It means an epoch or period of time. Their question is not about a future destruction of the globe. They wanted to know when the "age" i.e. Old Covenant age would come to an end. It was that end that was predicted, not an end of the material creation.

The language of "de-creation" is often used in the prophets to describe the fall of nations. See for example, Isaiah 13:10-13, where the language describes in apocalyptic terms, the end of ancient Babylon. Check other references in Isaiah 34:3-5, referring to Edom.

Apocalyptic Language

Too often, apocalyptic or figurative language is interpreted literally causing great confusion and misunderstandings. It forces unnatural renderings of plain texts. When we consider the time element that is used in the texts, we cannot place interpretations on the passages which violate the time in which the event is scheduled to occur. That is a huge key in understanding Bible prophecy. It virtually eliminates the end-time madness being inflicted upon society today.

Yes, the heavens and earth are said to be destroyed, but such language is governed by and within time limiting statements which set the parameters of fulfillment to be the age in which Jesus lived. "Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.

The Language of the Apostles

The above is why the apostles saw themselves living in the terminal generation. They never expected life on the planet to end. They were well-versed in Old Testament imagery and they knew such terminology referred to the end of the Old Covenant era. Paul, for example, declares that the end of the age had come in their day. "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." (1 Corinthians 10:11). It serves no value to claim Paul was mistaken, that Jesus lied or that all the first century writers were misinformed.

They knew well the meaning of their words. They did live in the end of the age/world. The confusion begins when we misunderstand their language and misapply it by placing 21st century applications on first century events. Until we are more wise in handling the end-time language of the Bible, we are forever doomed to a hopeless future of confusion, self-fulfilling prophecies of destruction and war, and to a society paralyzed with fear and its consequences.

Jesus Died in the End of the Age

The phrase "end of the age" occurs five times in the New Testament. (Matthew 13:39, 40; 24:3; 28:20, and Hebrews 9:26) Each time it occurs, the Mosaic or Jewish age is meant. In the Hebrews passage, the text says Jesus died in the "end of the age." Did the material world end with Jesus' death? Was it about to end? We can all look back almost 2000 years ago and see that that was not the case.

However, there was an age which hurried toward destruction. The day, near on the horizon soon approached. (Hebrews 10:25) The event being concurrent with Christ's return would happen in a little while. (Hebrews 10:37) These are the time statements that limit the end-time events to the first century. That is why the writers of the Bible said, "The world is passing away." (1 Corinthians 7:31; 1 John 2:15-17)

In addition, the antichrists were right there signaling that the last hour had come in their day, (1 John 2:18). When speaking of the present world under the new covenant, it is a world which lasts forever and has no end. (Luke 1:32, 32; Ephesians 3:21; Hebrews 12:28)

In summary, the problems with end of the world predictions lie in their failure to encompass the emphatic time statements that saturate end-time teachings. These statements placed the end-time events in the first century. That includes what is called the end of the world.

With no outlook for doom on the horizon, we can expect nothing but a very bright future. The world will continue on. Life on the plant continues endlessly. Contrary to the escapism mandated by doom and gloom prophets, let's get busy making it a better place instead of sabotaging ourselves and others with "chicken little" philosophy.