Failed and current end of the world predictions

Here's a list of failed end of the world predictions from 30 to 1920 AD, pulled together by www.religioustolerance.org.

The end of the world is even the name of a website that gathers together what the authors consider the twenty major Bible prophecies, such as

• world-wide preaching of the Gospel via the internet, radio and TV
• a growing understanding of Biblical prophecies
• frequent disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis

And so forth and so forth . . .

More recently groups of believers guided by Harold Camping on Family Radio have travelled across the USA proclaiming May 21, 2011 as the date of the rapture and the end of the world as we know it. That is but eleven days from the date of this writing. The people of this Bible fellowship do indeed believe these predictions and are obviously deeply committed. That much we must grant.

And then there is the much ballyhooed 2012. I've written about that phenomenon several times in the past couple years (July 09 and Oct. 17, 2009; Jan. 05 and 06, 2010). This prophecy about the earth's destruction in December, 2012 is tied up with the Mayans, ancient people who supposedly arrived on the earth from the stars millennia ago and preserved their knowledge in the Mayan calendar. These prophecies are not related to those found in the Bible.

Assuming that none of it happens, we will see even more mockery of the Bible  and the New Testament prophecies about the second coming of the resurrected Christ. We Christians have indeed confessed across the centuries in our Nicene Creed,

"And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. 

"And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end."

 Since various groups and leaders to this very day proclaim they know the exact date of Christ's return, and since all have failed in their predictions again and again, is it any wonder that unbelievers doubt the veracity of the Bible and the prophecies of the end found in it? What shall we who earnestly believe that Jesus' sacrificed life is the source of God's mercy toward us make of this? The best place to go to in the New Testament is Matthew 24, especially these words of Jesus,

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only" (Matthew 24:35-36). 

A few verses earlier we read of our Lord's warning that the "abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel" would stand in the holy place. That was to be a sign for the disciples of Christ to get out of town and into the mountains, because much pain, suffering and destruction would take place. Most believe that this particular prophecy was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans under by Titus in A.D. 70.

I will not at this time interpret the entire chapter. It is quite complex. However, I draw your attention to the quote above about no one knowing the day and hour of the Son of Man's return. Here Jesus speaks as the man he was, like us in all respects, before his resurrection and return to glory in heaven. Even he did not know the date set by the heavenly Father. As the apostles confirmed, the day of the Lord's return will come like a thief in the night  (2 Peter 3:10). He will return quite unexpectedly.

The point Jesus and his apostles make is simple and direct. We are not told nor should we attempt to discover the date and time of our Lord's return to judge the world. Instead we are to be ready and waiting for his return every day. As Peter wrote, "Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness . . . be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace." (2 Peter 3:11-14).