Speaking of Life
Armageddon Blues
Perhaps you
know of someone who might like to watch this program. If so, go to the bottom of
the page and click on "Email this page." Fill out the short form, and share the
good news! There's also a way to share the page on Facebook, Twitter,
Buzz, and other websites.
If you'd like to support this ministry, click here.
The popular film “2012” stirred renewed interest, as well as fear, about the end of the world. Doomsday predictions always gather a following, and there seems to be no end to new ones. Since the earliest days of Christianity history records a continual parade of failed predictions.
More recent ones would include the prophetic hen of Leeds. It seems that in 1806 in the English town of Leeds, a hen began laying eggs that had the words “Christ is coming” clearly visible on their shells. Fears of doomsday spread rapidly until it was discovered that the ominous eggs were a hoax.
In 1854 thousands of followers of preacher William Miller believed that the world would end by March 21 of that year. It didn’t happen, but the faithful didn’t give up. A new date was calculated – followed by more disappointment. Even that wasn’t enough. Further Bible study “revealed” that the date should have been October 22, 1854. What became known as the Great Disappointment of 1854 is now history, but the lesson has yet to be learned.
In 1980 televangelist Pat Robertson declared, “I guarantee you by the end of 1982 there is going to be a judgment on the world.”
1999 was a nail biter for those who believed that one of Nostradamus’s quatrains predicted the end of the world for August of that year.
Millions were uneasy as the year 2000 approached, worrying that even if the world didn’t end that year, planes would be falling out of the sky as their onboard electronics would stop working. It was another needless frightfest.
Televangelist Jack Van Impe declared that the Great Tribulation would begin in 2001, and that “political chaos, natural disasters, nuclear war and the worldwide rise of Islam will usher in mankind's final hour.”
And now we have 2012 taking center stage at the doomsday circus.
Maybe we should take comfort in what Jesus said. He said, “Of that day and hour no one knows, only the Father.” So according to our Savior, if we think we know when the end is, we don’t. So there is nothing to predict, and nothing to panic about. We can trust our safety and care to him, because we are always safe in his hands.
The bottom line about the Mayan Calendar and the year 2012, and all other doomsday scenarios is this: Our job is to live faithfully, not make predictions.
I’m Joseph Tkach, speaking of LIFE.
