2012 - End of the World?
By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
© November 12, 2009
www.godsbreath.net
Copies of this and other homilies available by sending requests to: mikefarrar@aol.com
I am sure you have seen the trailers coming out for the new movie called 2012 being released this weekend. The movie is directed by Roland Emmerich, and stars John Cusack, Danny Glover, Amanda Peet and Woody Harrelson. The trailer shows various cataclysmic events such as a tsunami surging over the Himalayas, meteors crashing down on the earth’s landscape as well as mega earthquakes ripping apart the earth’s crust. The trailer ends with a message encouraging viewers to “find out the truth” by using Internet search engines. The problem is when you begin searching for the truth in such a fashion you don’t find the truth, instead you discover websites full of New Age theories, articles by radical scientists promoting their own doomsday theories and spurious claims by authors who have been high on psychedelic drugs to gain special knowledge of future events. There have even been some individuals who have actually used mediums and spiritual channelers to supposedly contact the dead for information concerning the end of the world. The History Channel, what we consider to be an educational source for information, has not helped either. Beginning in 2006 they aired the special “Decoding the Past: Mayan Doomsday Prophecy” that was based very loosely on John Major Jenkins’ theories. John Major Jenkins is an American author and independent researcher, best known for his works that theorize certain astronomical and esoteric connections of the calendar systems used by the Maya civilization of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Even Mr. Jenkins complained about the History Channel special saying it was, “45 minutes of unabashed doomsday hype and the worst kind of inane sensationalism.” This particular special was co-written by a Sci-Fi writer and proved to be popular so numerous sequels followed in 2008 and 2009. Often the History Channel sacrifices accuracy of information to sell a product and increase their viewer audience. You wonder if the content of such History Channel specials is like buying a bag of potato chips in the grocery store. The bag looks nice and is very large but when you open it, the content is mostly air and what is edible inside isn’t really that good for you.I don’t have space in a short homily to address all the issues surrounding the 2012 predictions, but let me share just a few pieces of information and then my own brief Christian perspective.The concern over the possible end of the world in 2012 is a collection of beliefs and theories that suggest that cataclysmic events will take place in the year 2012. This is associated with the end-date of the Mayan Long Count calendar, which has a duration of 5,125 years and ends on December 21 or 23, 2012. These purposed theories have numerous origins ranging from a mixture of amateur archaeoastronomtry, alternative interpretations of mythology, numerology, New-Age theories, meditation revelations, psychedelic drug experiences and alleged prophecies from extraterrestrial beings.The Mayan Calendar
Much of the hoopla comes from theories generated over the Mayan Long Count calendar. End-of-the-world proponents claim that the Mayans predicted the end of the world that coincides with the end of their Long Count calendar. Mayan scholars argue that the idea that the Long Count calendar "ends" in 2012 misrepresents Maya history. Classic Mayan sources on the subject are scarce and contradictory, suggesting that there was little if any universal agreement among them about what, if anything, the date might mean.The claims that 2012 will be the end of the world, as we know it, tie it to the Mayan Long Count calendar and offer various methods by which this destruction of the earth might take place. Such methods include the alignment of the earth with a black hole, shifting of the earth’s poles or a collision with a rogue planet entering our solar system. The scientific community has rejected all of these theories as pseudoscience. Many of these claims violate the laws of physics, or are contradicted by simple observations. A very good Christian response can be found in a short video viewable on Tangle at the following location - just click on the link below to see the video, then click on the back arrow navigation button in your browser to return to my homily:
Or you can simply type in “Chris White’s Expose of 2012” on Tangle and locate it that way. It is a very good video that covers many of the pseudoscientific theories regarding the end of the world in 2012.
But what are we as Christians to think of such doomsday prophecies?
First I believe we must remember that the world will come to an end, but not in a manner in which Hollywood or even scientists will predict or think. When we hear, read or view rumors and theories about the end of the world as we know it we should read Jeremiah 51:46.
“Do not lose heart or be afraid when rumors are heard in the land; one rumor comes this year, another the next,”
We must focus as Believers on the truth that God, in His Holy Scripture, has predicted how the end will take place. It will center on the return of His Son, Jesus Christ to the earth.
Matthew 24:30-31
“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
And no one except the Father knows when this will take place.
Matthew 24:36
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
The end of the world as we know it is in the hands of our Heavenly Father. He is the one in control of events as well as the physics of the universe and the destiny of all of His creation. Numerous scriptures give insights into what will take place.
Mark 13:5-8
“Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.’”
Matthew 13:40-43
“‘As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
Matthew 24:10-14
“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
As believers our concern should be to be ready for the return of Christ like the virgins waiting for the return of the bridegroom in Matthew 25. The end of the world for servants of Christ should be an exciting culmination of a life lived in service of the King of kings. The fear we see in people as they contemplate the end of the world, as they know it, is a cry for help. They lack salvation. They do not know a Savior. They do not have a relationship with a Heavenly Father who has power over the entire universe. They have not experienced the love of God in the forgiveness of their sins. We should reach out to them and tell them they can have eternal security and not fear.
Mark my words, from now till December 21, 2012 there will be all sorts of doomsday hype distributed, books written, History Channel specials produced, movies shown and a plethora of comments and opinions by everybody and their brother about when the end of the world will come and how it will take place. Christians should seek answers in scripture and share the gospel with these people to clarify the truth of what is to come, how Christ is to return and what they need to do to get ready.
So sit back and enjoy the 2012 movie with all it’s special effects and realize that God is the one we look to for discernment of the End Times. He is the one we live for, honor with our behavior and seek to emulate. Christ’s return will usher in the end of the world as we know it and it will be a very good thing, at least for those who call Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.
I pray all of you reading this are sheep and not goats and if you don’t know what I am talking about please read Matthew 25:31-46.1 Peter 4:7
“The end of all things is near.
Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.”
