Ivan Richmond's Website

What the Gospels say about the End of the World

In the wake of the recent May 21st, 2011 scare, in which some preachers were predicting that date to be the end of the world and claiming the Bible foretold it, I've been doing some thinking. The whole thing distresses me. There was a billboard right near where I live that kept staring me in the face and it grieves me to see so many people throwing away their hard-earned money on a false prediction. The world didn't end, after all. So, concerned about all this, I started some Bible study on what the Gospels actually say about it and I wanted to put it on my website so that other people could have a quick reference to avoid being lead astray by false prophets.

Not Even the Angles or Even the Son Know

In Mathew chapter 24, Jesus tells the apostles about the end of the world. On verse 36, he says:

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

In Mark chapter 13, verse 32, it says:

But of that day and that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, or the Son, but only the Father.

The point is clearly made. Mortal humans will simply not know when the universe is to end.

False Prophets and False Christs

Matthew chapter 24, verse 23 says:

Then, if any one says to you, 'Lo, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Luke chapter 21, verse 5 says:

Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them.

Mark chapter 13, verse 19 says:

And then if any one says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it. False Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

It's clear that the Gospels warn people to steer clear of false prophets and false Christs. So, if anybody tells you that the world is going to end at this time or that time, the advice of the Gospels is to ignore them.

In the Generation of the Apostles?

In Mathew chapter 24, verse 34, Jesus tells the Apostles a ballpark figure as to the timeframe in which he thinks the world will end:

Truly, I say to you, this generation, will not pass away till all these things take place.

The things Jesus is talking about is all of the tumult that is supposed to take place when the world ends.

Mark chapter 13, verse 30 says much the same thing:

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place.

Luke chapter 21, verse 32 says:

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place.

This is a particularly distressing part of the Gospels. Three of the Gospel writers actually say that Jesus predicted the end of the world to come in their lifetime. It seems hard to believe that the holy book of one of the most popular religions in the world would have an error like this in it.

I respect the Gospels and the countless Christians who are fortified by them. It's not my intention to challenge anybody's faith. For those who remain faithful despite this false prophecy that seems to be in the three of the Gospels, you have my respect.

However, I'd also like to point this out for the sake of completeness. My goal has been to show what the Gospels actually say about the End of Time and I feel it's important to include this. What others do with those passages is up to them.

It's also worth mentioning that there were originally dozens of Gospels. See the Nag Hammadi Library as a primary source (it's not actually a library, it's a book by that title) and The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagel as a secondary source. It was actually the Council of Nicia, called by the Roman Emperor Constantine around 300 years after Jesus, that decided that the four Gospels we currently have should be the only ones to go into the Bible and rejected the other Gospels.

My Suggestions

I know many Christians who concentrate on living according to Christian values and the Gospels are certainly full of values and ethics. My suggestion for any who got caught up in the May 21st prediction who have managed to keep their faith is to re-read the Gospels and renew yourself with the values and ethics that Jesus teaches. A lot of today's false prophets and false Christs teach Bible study classes that only have people reading the passages of the Bible they want people to read. By cherry-picking Bible quotes, they construct their own twisted version of Christianity, which usually puts them in a dominant position over others and has others making "donations" to them (which is a polite way of saying that their so-called "flock" basically just gives them money and they get rich). My advice for Christians who have been taken in by these false prophets is to read the Gospels all the way through. Read the whole Bible from Genesis chapter 1, verse 1 through the end of Revelation and everything in between. Interpret scripture for yourself. You have every right to do so. That way, you'll steer clear of false prophets.

For those who have lost their faith because of believing in the end of the world and not seeing it arrive, I offer these suggestions:

Know that you are not alone. There are many people out there who have left Christianity because of things like this. Many of the ones I know are good, ethical, upstanding citizens. Seek them out. They may be able to help you find what you've always been seeking in religion. But, never check your brain in at the door, either. There are people out there who have left false prophets only to join other cults that are at least as dangerous. So, my advice is to seek out people who think for themselves and who encourage you to think for yourself.
Figure out your ethics for yourself. What do you think is right? Follow what you truly believe to be good and right. The world would be a better place if we were all nicer to each other.
Research other religions. There are many, many religions out there. It's not just Judaism and Islam as the only options other than Christianity, either. There's Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, Native American religions, Unitarianism (it started out as Christian, but these days it's much broader than scripture-based Christianity), Wicca, and many, many others. With so many out there, you're bound to find one that fits with your beliefs and works for you.
Have religion, faith and spirituality without scripture. God can still exist even without scripture. Maybe God's wisdom is so vast that it cannot be contained in one book. Maybe His wisdom is so great that He has something different to teach each one of us and maybe He custom-tailors His message to each of us, because He knows that each of us has something different to learn.
Above all, steer clear of anyone who claims that they know when the world is going to end. If there is a God, I'd doubt He'd tell us or even leave clues for us about when the world will end. Anyone who claims to know just wants to use you. Maybe they just want to boost ratings for their radio station. Even so, steer clear of false prophets and think for yourself.
Finally, remember deep in your heart that you're worth it! You're a special person and, if there is a God, He made you for a reason. Remember that you're basically a good person, even if you mess up some times. Have faith in yourself. Love yourself. Honor yourself. Until you can love yourself, you won't have any love to give to others.

Well, those are my thoughts, for what they're worth. I hope they've been helpful.