Is the Rapture finally here? One Christian numerologist says a biblical sign strongly suggests it. David Meade tells the U.K.'s Daily Express newspaper that on April 23, the sun and moon will be in Virgo, as will Jupiter, which represents the Messiah.
According to conspiracy theorists, codes in the Bible suggest the end of the world is imminent, with Earth set to be destroyed on April 23.
One theory suggests the end times dates back to astrological constellations appearing on November 23, matching the book of Revelation 12:1-2.
The passage signals the start of the Rapture and the second coming of Jesus Christ.
The passage 12:1–2 reads: “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.”
Recently, many people have become interested in end times prophecies because of blood moon eclipses that are occurring on certain Jewish holy days. Although interest in end times prophecies are not new, there are some who will set dates for the return of Christ and promote their predictions as something that God has personally revealed to them.
Unfortunately, when these predictions have failed, they will quickly dismiss it as being correctly calculated, but what was to happen had a different meaning. How do we know if these self-proclaimed end-times prophets are genuine and what does the Bible say about date setter that predict the end of the world? The Bible has the answers to these questions.
What do people mean when they talk about the end of the world?
For many people, the end of the world is the day that man destroys himself through nuclear war. For others, it may be some dreaded disease or natural catastrophe like a giant asteroid hitting the earth. Still for some, the end of the world has Biblical significance. It is this last group of people that are usually the ones engaged in date setting of the world demise. While the Bible does speak of the present form of the heavens and earth being destroyed, there are many prophetic things that will take place long before this happens (Isaiah 34:4; Mark 13:31; 2 Peter 3:9-13; Revelation 6:12-17; Revelation 21:1).
Usually, date setters focus on the Battle of Armageddon, which the Bible describes as happening at the second coming of Christ in Revelation 19. This event takes place seven years after the resurrection and rapture described in 1 Corinthians 15:12-58 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. However, no one knows when the rapture and resurrection will occur, so setting a date for Armageddon is not possible. Likewise, the end of the present day heavens and earth occur about 1007 years after the rapture and resurrection too, so setting a date for the end of the world is also impossible.
What makes date setters think they can predict the end of the world?
There are many prophecies in the Bible that have occurred when they were predicted (Isaiah 7:14-16; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 53; Daniel 9).
However, there are many more prophecies yet to be fulfilled. Of particular note is Daniel 12, which gives a prophetic overview of things to come starting with the rapture and resurrection. In this passage, there are numerous things that are predicted to happen along with numbers of days when they will occur. Likewise, in this chapter in verse four, the Lord told Daniel to “shut up the words and seal the book to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
This passage, as well as others, has been used by those who think that we are living in the time described to Daniel and that God has revealed new knowledge to them about when these events will happen. Numerous people in recent history have tried to predict these events, but in each and every case, they have been wrong. Examples are the 7th Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others that found their start in failed predictions of the years 1843 and 1844.
Can anyone predict when the end-times events will occur?
Jesus addressed this in Mark 13:24-37, which is a parallel passage of Matthew 24. In verses 24-27, Jesus described the conditions that will be present when He returns to earth at His second coming. In verse 28-30, He described the signs that the end is near. He did not give details of the exact date. Instead, He described the time using the parable of a fig tree budding and putting forth leaves with the approach of summer. This is the extent of linking time with the events.
We are told of signs that let us know the end is near, but we do not know the exact dates. Jesus affirms this in Mark 13:31-33 as follows:
“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.”
Of particular note is that as a human, Jesus and even the angels did not even know the day and hour that the world would end. It makes one wonder, that if Jesus did not know and the angels do not know, what makes us think we can know?
Therefore, it is obvious that no one can predict when the end of the world will occur. However, we can know when the season is getting close. We can see the signs on a worldwide scale that tell us when it is getting close.
While we do not know when these events will occur, it is clear from the reestablishment of the nation of Israel and the signs we are seeing that are described in Matthew 24:3-14 and other passages that we are getting closer.
Because of this, we should pay close heed to His words in Mark 14:32-37 as follows:
“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”
Conclusion
When people talk about the end of the world it can be for different reasons. Biblically, people may be referring to the Battle of Armageddon or the actual end of the present physical heavens and earth. People who try and set dates for end-times events think that God has revealed to them special knowledge. However, Jesus said that no one can know when it will take place. But, He did tell us that we should watch closely when we see the signs that the end is close.
Keep your eyes focused on Him and your ears tuned to His Word. GOD BLESS YOU.
References: Fox News, Express News
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