-------2012 Myth or Fact-------

I remember well all the hype and doom saying about the year 2000. The computers of the world would crash because the clocks on these machines were not set to account for a change of century. Many prophecy preachers jumped in on this scare proclaiming that 2000 could be the year that the Messiah Jesus Christ would return. It made me wonder if these preachers were reading a different Bible than I was. Of course the year 2000 came and went without incident and the prophecy preachers became busy removing their feet from their collective mouths.

What does the Bible say? "32 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is." Mark 13

Jesus was crystal clear about His return. Believers are to live like he could come at any moment so they should always be ready for His appearance. We do not know the moment of His return. We are just to watch for signs that it could be close. We are not to waste time figuring out the date of His arrival but to spend our time telling other people the good news about what He did to wash away their sin. We still die and mankind still suffers from a disease called sin. We need to take care of our sin problem before we concern ourselves with speculations on the date of Christ's return. In other words, do not put the cart before the horse.

Jesus did tell us that we would know when His return was close but not the exact time. He gave us many signs to look for but all these signs do is tell us it could happen at any time.

There is a movie coming out this fall called 2012 featuring spectacular special effects showing the terrible calamities that are going to befall our planet in that year but this movie is just a fictional story meant to entertain and provoke thought.

I have seen the previews of the movie and the destruction that occurs in the flick are mentioned in the book of Revelation in relation to the 7 year tribulation period that could begin sometime in the near future but scripture states that the tribulation period will end with the return of Christ. Christ is the Hope of the world and the world will not know peace without Him but the world will certainly try. None of the secular apocalyptic movies offer a supernatural solution to the problem. These movies always offer humanistic solutions.

I could gather from the previews of 2012 that a spaceship was built to transport a limited number of people to colonize another planet. Having never seen the movie I would hazard a guess that the story line of the movie revolves around who gets to go on the ship and who gets left behind.

The message is clear. No matter what happens we, the human race, will find a way to overcome in the end. We will even get a bunch of pop stars together and sing a song about it. We don't need God to help us is the message. We can do it ourselves which is the kind of thinking that causes a sinful man to delude himself into believing he can make up for his sin problem by doing good deeds. No man can take care of his sin problem on his own. Man needs help and this help came through the sacrifice of His son on the cross which washes away our sin for all of eternity.

If there is any good to be had from all the doom saying it would be the fact that it causes people to reflect on their own mortality which will make them consider the question, "What happens after I die?"

As far as the existence of planet Earth is concerned, the Bible is very clear.

But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. Isaiah 45:17

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Eph 3:21

This planet will never cease to exist, it is a world without end. God destroyer this planet once with flood but the planet was not actually destroyed it was just flooded and Noah's family and some animals survived the disaster. Who provided the way of escape? It was God.

In the future (over a thousand years from now) there will be a new Earth but our planet will not actually be destroyed it will be changed and this change occurs by fire. God will protect His people through the change.

As I was growing up, I noticed all kinds of books that predicted some kind of a doomsday scenario by a certain date. When the dates came and went, these books became curiosities rather than amazing predictions. There is only one book that accurately portrays the future and it is the Holy Bible.

One thing is certain. There will be not be an event that will destroy the world in 2012. God is in control and God will decide the fate of this planet and He tells us of a 7 year period like none other in history followed by a thousand years of peace and tranquility. Could the Rapture happen in 2012? Yes. Could the Tribulaton period begin in 2012? Yes.

My feeling is that year will come and go like any other year and the doomsayers will pick another year to forecast the destruction of our planet. After all, it does sell books and movie tickets.

What the scripture does indicate will happen is that Christ will come at a time that will take the world and the church completely by surprise. This could easily occur before 2012 and it may not occur until years later.

The fact is that we are to live our lives as if Christ could call us out at any second and we are to tell others of the Good News about how Christ took away the sin of our world. We are not to waste our time worrying about things that are beyond our control. 2012 the year of the apocalypse? Remember 1984 and Y2K? You be the judge.

Copyright 2009 Gary Goodworth