Bible: Last Days Prophecies

The Last Days / 2012 / End of World

Understanding the end of the world

What are the “Last Days”? The Bible contains prophecy of what might literally be interpreted as the destruction of the earth. There are many interpretations of what this might actually mean for humankind. Some believe that our planet as we know it will be physically destroyed, perhaps through a collision with a comet, or by the land sinking into the oceans. Others believe that we will bring about our own destruction through global war, pollution or disease.

Symbolic Predictions

Although the prophecies of global calamity and the events of the end of the world in the Bible are understood by some to be literal predictions, they are very far from what is normally thought realistic by modern science. In the Bible, it says that in the Last Days the stars will fall from the heavens and that Jesus will return on the clouds. Such statements are hard for us to understand through common sense alone. Nevertheless, it is important that we have a clear understanding of what these predictions are likely to mean. Therefore, it is our task to solve such puzzles in our quest for understanding.

Noah time is also the Last Days

From the viewpoint of the Divine Principle, there were at least two other periods in human history that could be termed the Last Days. These were Noah’s time and Jesus’ time. In Genesis 6:13, God said that He would judge the world with flood. The time of Noah was thus the Last Days: God wanted to purge sinful history and destroy the corrupt, evil world.

Jesus time is also the Last Days

From the viewpoint of God’s work to save humankind, the time of Jesus was also the Last Days. The book of Malachi says, “For behold, the day comes, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up… so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” (Malachi 4:1) This time referred to in this prophesy is that of Jesus’ coming. Clearly these words were very symbolic in meaning, and referred to the coming of the Messiah as a time when evil is to be burned away from the hearts of men, rather than people destroyed.

Will the Earth burn up in 2012?

Many people say that the present times are also the Last Days, with the prophecies of 2012 spreading. The Bible says that in the Last Days “the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire!” But it also says, “then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…” Interestingly, even though there are predictions of similar Last Days or judgment days in Noah’s and Jesus’ day, the earth we live on today remains the same. We can take heart that such words do not mean the actual destruction of the earth, but symbolize a cleansing and renewal for humankind.


See Also:
2012 - Messianic Age
The Meaning of the Last Days
Revelation concerning the Second Coming

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•