(October 13, 2009) Between the History Channel, Jack Van Impe, Hollywood, and the Media one could get the idea that something cataclysmic is going to occur in December of 2012. Two days ago the Drudge Report linked to an article titled “2012 isn’t the end of the world, Mayans insist”. The article states,
“Apolinario Chile Pixtun is tired of being bombarded with frantic questions about the Mayan calendar supposedly “running out” on Dec. 21, 2012. After all, it’s not the end of the world.
Or is it?
Definitely not, the Mayan Indian elder insists. “I came back from England last year and, man, they had me fed up with this stuff.”
It can only get worse for him. Next month Hollywood’s “2012″ opens in cinemas, featuring earthquakes, meteor showers and a tsunami dumping an aircraft carrier on the White House.
At Cornell University, Ann Martin, who runs the “Curious? Ask an Astronomer” Web site, says people are scared.
“It’s too bad that we’re getting e-mails from fourth-graders who are saying that they’re too young to die,” Martin said. “We had a mother of two young children who was afraid she wouldn’t live to see them grow up.”
Chile Pixtun, a Guatemalan, says the doomsday theories spring from Western, not Mayan ideas.
A significant time period for the Mayas does end on the date, and enthusiasts have found a series of astronomical alignments they say coincide in 2012, including one that happens roughly only once every 25,800 years.
But most archaeologists, astronomers and Maya say the only thing likely to hit Earth is a meteor shower of New Age philosophy, pop astronomy, Internet doomsday rumors and TV specials such as one on the History Channel which mixes “predictions” from Nostradamus and the Mayas and asks: “Is 2012 the year the cosmic clock finally winds down to zero days, zero hope?”
Hollywood has a movie coming out in November of this year called 2012. The trailer reveals all types of catastrophes that might take place in that year:
The God who created the world has revealed His plans for the End-Times in His word, the Bible. He states, “9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:9-10) Only God can say when future events will take place. Jesus said concerning His return, “36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (Matthew 24:36) Jesus said this after giving signs to His followers to watch for so that they would “know that [the end] is near, even at the doors.” (Matthew 24:33) But of the day and hour (and therefore the year) no one knows. Not the Mayans nor Nostradamus nor astrologers nor cult leaders nor any human being or angel knows the exact time of Jesus’ return.
Even End-Times evangelist Jack Van Impe seems to be caught up in the hype surrounding this Mayan “prophecy”:
One of the points of contention I have with Dr. Van Impe is that he declares the Bible says the world is never going to end. To support this he references Isaiah 45:17, “17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end” and Ephesians 3:21, “21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” These two passages are from the King James Version of the Bible. However, the other major translations render the phrase “world without end” as “to ages everlasting” (NIV), “to all eternity” (NASB), “to all eternity” (ESV), “forever and ever” (New King James) etc. The Bible makes it clear that there is going to be a new earth and that the old earth is going to pass away, “10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.” (II Peter 3:10-11) In the Book of Revelation John says, “1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” (Revelation 21:1)
The world is going to end one day but that is at least seven years away because of the biblical prophecies which declare seven years of trouble are coming upon the earth in the form of God’s judgments. In describing this future time of apocalyptic events Jesus said, “21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21-22)
The world will not end in 2012 but the time of tribulation could start at any time from here on out.
