2013-02-07 Is this the End of the World?

“THE END OF THE WORLD IS ALMOST HERE! HOLY GOD WILL BRING JUDGMENT DAY ON MAY 21, 2011”

This headline is taken from www.familyradio.com (http://www.familyradio.com/graphical/literature/judgment/judgment.html) which makes claims to the day of judgment taking place on May 21st 2011 and another website ebiblefellowship.com (which references familyradio.com as their source of information and they direct their readers to this site for further reading) concurs, and takes it a step further saying that the end of the world will be taking place on October 21st 2011.

In case you have heard of this website or their message and want some clarity on the subject, we present this as a brief rebuttal to their claims. It must be noted that every few years someone or some group claims “the end of the world is nigh” and give specific dates as to when this will happen. It is obvious by now that none of them have proved true. These rumours will continue to surface in the years to come, so it would be helpful to take note of the principles applied here and apply them to similar rumours that are sure to come in the future.

Familyradio.com writes on their website:

“However, the Holy Bible tells us that Holy God is a God of great mercy, compassion and love. That is why He has given us in advance of the destruction the exact time of the Day of Judgment.”

Their argument is that because God is merciful He would tell us the exact date He will bring judgment and destruction. This is speculation and inference about something God hasn’t said. What Jesus has said is this:

Matthew 24:32-36 (ESV)
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 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.”

What Jesus is saying is that we can recognise signs of the end and that there will be various things that hint at the consummation of this age, but as to the exact day and hour nobody knows. God is a God of mercy, and He offers us signs to take notice of so that we can be sure the end is approaching, but as to the exact date Jesus clearly says “no one knows”.

They go on to explain how the exact date was calculated:

“By careful study of the Bible we learn that in the year 4990 B.C. (Before Christ) God brought a flood of water and destroyed the entire earth except for eight people and the animals that were with them.” (Familyradio.com)

eBiblefellowship.com summarises the explanation of Familyradio.com and go on to say:

“It was in the year 4990 BC that God revealed to Noah that there would be yet 7 days until the flood of waters would be upon the earth. Now, if we substitute 1000 years for each one of those 7 days, we get 7000 years. And when we project 7000 years into the future from 4990 BC, we find that it falls on the year 2011 AD.” (eBiblefellowship.com)

They make the link between the date of Noah’s flood and the end of the world through 2 Peter 3:6-8:

2 Peter 3:5-8 (ESV)
For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

They use this scripture to interpret ultimate judgement to be in line with the flooding of the earth in the days of Noah. Their calculations then hinge on the date of Noah’s flood, and that to the Lord a day is like a 1000 years.

I have 2 concerns about this logic. The first is with the statement “careful study” which they claim. I have yet to see their timeline and Scriptural evidence as to the exact dates they claim the flood took place. The only way to find out how this date was calculated is to order a free book called “Adam When”. There are other sources which agree that Adam was created around 4000B.C. (see for example http://agards-bible-timeline.com/timeline_closeup.html). It seems to me that if everything hinges on Noah’s date, you would explain it clearly and openly instead of making cryptic comments like this one:

“Since this Bible calendar is given by God in His Word, it can be trusted wholeheartedly. In this brief pamphlet, we will share some of the conclusions derived from the Biblical calendar and from other studies in the Scriptures. However, the amount of information available is far too abundant and complex to get into much detail in this short pamphlet; but we can and will give precise and compelling dates. These dates can be trusted entirely because they come right out of the Bible.” (eBiblefellowship.com)

“These dates can be trusted entirely because they come right out of the Bible.” Just because something comes out of the Bible, it doesn’t make one’s interpretation of that necessarily true. You can make the Bible mean anything you want it to and yet claim it to be true because it comes out of the Bible. This is what they are relying on – that nobody digs too deep into their theories and actually orders their book, and instead trusts everything they have to say because everything “come[s] right out of the Bible.”

My second concern is that 2 Peter 3:8 also says “with the Lord… a thousand years [is] as one day” (ESV). The point the Scripture is making is not that 1 day = 1000 years, but that time is of little concern for God because He exists outside of time. Time is something He created. Therefore 1000 years is like a day and a day is like 1000 years.

Finally, they make wild statements such as this one:

“On May 21st, 1988, God finished using the churches and congregations of the world. The Spirit of God left all churches and Satan, the man of sin, entered into the churches to rule at that point in time. The Bible teaches us that this awful period of judgment upon the churches would last for 23 years.” (eBiblefellowship.com)

These people are probably well meaning in that they see an urgency to see people repent and believe in Jesus before the end. This is admirable and we could take a cue from them in their zeal for the lost and the renown of Jesus’ Name. However, at the same time we must guard ourselves against fear and false prophecy which ignores Scripture and does not promote sober-minded living. The reality is that we should recognise that we are living in the end days and live appropriately.

Matthew 24:6-14 (ESV)
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

1 Peter 4:7 (ESV)
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.