Friday, December 14, 2012

Were the Mayans Right?


Were the Mayans right in their prediction of an apocalyptic event ending the world as we know it on December 21, 2012? As I see it, they were off by at least 1,007 years.

Despite all the hype about the world ending next week, some experts in ancient civilizations are disclaiming that such a prediction even came from the Mayans. Surprisingly, NASA has devoted a whole page on its website to debunking this myth, which may actually have the reverse effect of increasing its credibility.

There is no doubt that signs of the End Times, which Jesus spoke of in His Olivet discourse (Matthew 24) and on which Paul expanded (2 Timothy 3:1-13), are increasing almost daily. Wars, rumors of wars, famine, diseases, earthquakes, wickedness in high places, flaunting of sin, persecution of Christians, false prophets, and chilling indifference to human life and natural affection pervade every aspect of world culture.

All these signs refer to Christ’s second coming in power and glory to defeat Israel’s enemies at the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19:11-21). This event must take place at least seven years after the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), in which dead and living believers receive glorified bodies and are caught up to meet Him in the air. This Tribulation period of seven years corresponds to Daniel’s seventieth week (Daniel 9:24).

The Rapture is indeed imminent, meaning that it could occur at any moment, and the signs of the times that warn of what Jesus referred to in the Tribulation are as birth pangs (Romans 8:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:3), becoming more intense and frequent as the event draws nearer.

The one condition to precede His second coming that has not yet come to pass is the spread of the Gospel message to every nation (Matthew 24:14). Yet even that would not stop the Rapture from happening at any moment. In this technological and Internet age, the seven-year period of the Tribulation is ample time for the Gospel to reach every tribe and kindred before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords appears in the sky with His armies of believers (Revelation 19:14-21).

After the Rapture, 144,000 Jewish male virgins will recognize that Jesus was the promised Messiah (Revelation 14:1-5). Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they, along with two witnesses (Revelation 11:3), will evangelize all nations so that no person left behind will have the excuse of never having heard the Gospel.

All will hear that Jesus was God in the flesh (John 1:14), the perfect sacrifice to pay our sin debt and to reconcile sinful man to Holy God, so that all who trust in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) as the only way to Heaven (John 14:6) will have abundant, everlasting life (John 3:16; 10:10).

After the seven-year period of the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will preside over the Millennial Kingdom, a time of perfect peace, justice and harmony lasting 1000 years (Revelation 20:4). Only at its conclusion will the heaven and earth be burned up (2 Peter 3:10-13), as all is made new for the Eternal Kingdom in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-2,10).

So if the alleged end of the Mayan calendar signifies the end of the present earth, their doomsday date of 12/21/2012 has to be off by at least 1,007 years, including the seven-year tribulation and the 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom.

But could the 12/21/2012 date apply to the Rapture? Certainly that will be a cataclysmic event, as living believers instantaneously vanish in the midst of critical operations such as driving school buses, piloting planes, or commanding armies. Soon thereafter will follow the devastating events of the Tribulation, including the trumpet and vial judgments (Revelation 8:2,6; 16:1-17).

It seems unlikely that the Rapture would occur on the date of a predicted apocalypse, as the Bible clearly indicates that it will come like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10), without announcement and when it is least expected (Matthew 24:44). My son and I had an interesting discussion about that -- because one would not expect the Rapture to occur on a predicted date, paradoxically, it might!

Jesus Himself said that no man knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36), as proven by Harold Camping and others who have foolishly attempted to predict the Rapture. Two things are certain, though – the Rapture is closer today than it was yesterday, and once it happens, there is no turning back.

Whoever has an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be caught up to meet Him in the air, with no more time to lead souls to Him or to consecrate every aspect of our lives to Him as a holy, acceptable living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). May we labor diligently to bring in the harvest (Matthew 9:37-38) before it is too late, so that we may hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21-23).

And for those who are left behind, it will be too late. Those who heard a clear presentation of the Gospel but rejected it are unlikely to be saved during the Tribulation, as they will be sent a “strong delusion” preventing them from believing the truth about Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:10-13)


So don’t get caught up in worldly predictions of doomsday – know your Bible, trust Jesus as your Savior and the only Way to Heaven, and consecrate your life to His service! Your eternal destiny depends on it!

© 2012 Laurie Collett


 

42 comments:

Brenda said...

That is right Laurie,
the important thing is that we remain in the Lord. We are told to 'take no thought for tomorrow' it is impotant where we are today to ensure that our times 'are in the Lords hands'.
God bless you.

Nadwrażliwiec said...

I don't believe in Mayan's end of world. I trust in the Holy Word of my Lord. Only the Father know this day and it doesn't matter if it will be tomorrow or for 1000 years. More important is question, if we invite Christ to our life and heart. Greetings to You, Laurie :)

joy said...

Thanks for the teaching:)have a nice week end.

Frank E. Blasi said...

If the Rapture was to occur on December 21st...Drat!!! My money wasted on the Christmas shopping! LOL!

But you are right, the Rapture has always been imminent since the day the Lord ascended to Heaven from the Mount of Olives as recorded in Acts 1. And only the Father knows when this will occur - whether in our lifetimes or at some distant future generation.
But the biggest clue has to tie in with the birth of Israel as a sovereign nation in 1948, from where the 144,000 will be chosen.
I have stood at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem at the onset of the Sabbath (i.e. Friday Sundown and after) and I was so intrigued at the sight of so many orthodox Jews crowding into the enclosure of the Wall. I was actually thinking,
"Gosh! This could be the gene pool for the calling of the 144,000 and the events recorded in Revelation." Watching these Jews was such an exhilarating experience, and had brought the Bible to life.
It is so unfortunate, however, that there are many Christians who don't believe in the coming Rapture, including those in my own church, but instead believe that the end of the world and the setting up of the Kingdom of God will occur simultaneously at the second Advent of Christ.
An excellent post.

mail4rosey said...

This is a good post. You know it seems like someone is always predicting this day or that one is going to be the end of the world!

Laurie Collett said...

Amen, Brenda! Our lives are in His all-powerful hands, and He will follow His own perfect timetable.
Blessings to you,
Laurie

Laurie Collett said...

Amen, Zim! Only the Father knows, and the most important question is whether we know His Son.
Greetings & blessings to you!
Laurie

Laurie Collett said...

Thanks, Joy, hope you have a blessed weekend too!
Love in Him,
Laurie

Laurie Collett said...

Hi Frank,
I would be so happy to leave it all behind -- even the Christmas presents --if we were Raptured on 12/21! :-)

You're right, 1948 was a pivotal year, and some verses suggest that His return will occur while some in that generation are still living, so it could be any time!

That must have been an awesome experience at the Wailing Wall. I can't imagine not believing in the Rapture -- our blessed hope. Meeting Him is the best reward of all, and for those who take part, avoiding physical death as an added bonus!

Thanks as always for your thought-provoking comment, & God bless!

Laurie Collett said...

Thanks, mail4rosey! Only He knows the day and the hour1
God bless,
Laurie

Denise said...

I believe they were wrong.

Laurie Collett said...

Me too, Denise! God bless you,
Laurie

Wife, Then Mama said...

I don't believe the world will end when the Mayans said it will, but I guess no one really knows. I don't think there is a single Christian out there that thinks it will end on the 21st, so as you stated, paradoxically, that could be the day. I am not as joyous about the occasion as I should be, it kind of scares me. I believe in Jesus, and God and I am 99% sure I am going to Heaven (there is a small part of me that doubts everything sometimes and that part scares the daylights out of me), but I am kind of a control freak, so the idea of everything I know and everyone I love suddenly being non-existent or completely inconsequential is kind of overwhelming.

Donald Fishgrab said...

II Thessalonians 2:1-4 instructs, "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."

Far too many have tried to get people to act out of fear rather than out of faith. Paul says, "the Just shall live by faith." While fear may cause a person to consider Christ, only faith will save him.

Laurie Collett said...

Dear Rachel,
Thanks for your visit and thought-provoking comment. If you have realized that you are a sinner; placed your faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only way to Heaven; and trusted Him as your Lord and Savior, then you can be 100% sure that you are saved and going to Heaven (http://savedbygracebiblestudy.blogspot.com/p/how-can-we-know-god-exists-and-if-well.html). Man's soul is eternal, whether saved and going to Heaven or unsaved and going to hell. So the souls of your loved ones will never cease to be, and you will enjoy eternity with those who are saved, regardless of when this world as we know it ends. The new heavens and earth will be so much better than our present earth, because it has suffered the ravages of sin under the curse due to the fall.
Blessings to you,
Laurie

Laurie Collett said...

Amen, Donald! We should not be listening to doomsday prophets or looking for the Antichrist, but eagerly awaiting the blessed hope of the Rapture, which will come in His perfect timing. His perfect love casts out all fear, and we can be saved only by grace through faith. Thanks as always for your Scripture-based comment, & God bless,
Laurie

Kera @ Nugget On A Budget said...

Laurie, I love this post. I totally agree with you 100% that the "end-of-the-world prediction" for 12/21/12 is nothing to get caught up about. I have always believed in what the Bible says about the end of the world not coming at a time when people expect. So it won't be now, but I'm pretty sure it will be soon. There are most definitely signs of the end of times, such as the weather patterns and the horrible tragedies occurring so frequently now. Our world is very corrupt and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. Our own country can't even elect decent people to run it, and God and faith are almost non-existent, which makes me sad. All we can do is keep our faith in God and know that we are saved by His grace. Thank you for always uplifting my spirit :)

I also want to thank you for stopping by and leaving your sweet comment on my blog. I hope your week is going well. xo

Laurie Collett said...

Amen, Kera! We are saved by His grace, and He will soon deliver us from this wicked world, in His perfect timing. Although it is sad to see how moral standards are totally deteriorating, we can have faith that the Righteous Judge, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords will return to reign in perfect peace and harmony.

Thank you for your insightful comment and for your kind words, and for hosting!

God bless,
Laurie

a joyful noise said...

When an exact Month and day and even year is predicted, may we all know it is not true! Jesus said only the Father knows the day and the hour, and not even the angels know it.
May we look forward to a year of wonder! We know not what it will bring forth, but there will be amazing times ahead.
Merry Christmas to you and a New Year of Joy and Peace. Thank you for sharing at Tell Me a Story.

Laurie Collett said...

Amen, Hazel! Only God knows, and He will return in His perfect timing. Each day is a gift from Him -- may we use them wisely to His glory.

Thanks for hosting & for your lovely comment! Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year to you & yours also!

Laurie

Jennifer Dougan said...

Hi Laurie,

Nice to meet you. I'm hopping over from Ann's link up. Thanks for tackling this issue of Mayans, and wonderings about the end times. I love that we can relax in knowing that Jesus is in charge, and that the Bible is our source of truth.

Have a great week,
Jennifer Dougan
www.jenniferdougan.com

Laura said...

It seems a strange thing, how our world has been so caught up in this prediction. I am glad for a Christian worldview--that these things need not concern me. Thanks for always giving us such a good study of the issues, Laurie.

mail4rosey said...

That's what I always think too when I hear the predictions. :) Merry Christmas to you!

Laurie Collett said...

Thanks so much, Jennifer, for your visit & comment! Amen...Jesus is in charge, and He cannot lie. His Word is infallible and unchanging.
Merry Christmas to you and yours,
Laurie

Laurie Collett said...

Thanks, Laura, for your kind words. Praise God that He holds the future in His hands!
May you and yours have a blessed Christmas,
Laurie

Laurie Collett said...

May you & yours have a very Merry Christmas!

WhatJeanLikes said...

I don't worry about the prediction. There were tons they made over the centuries that never happened. I really don't understand the fuss so many people are making. People need to read their Bibles and focus back on Jesus!

I hope you're having a great week my dear!
Thank you so much for linking up to last week's Aloha Friday Blog Hop!! I'm following you.

If you have time, we'd love to have you come and link up to the Aloha Friday Blog Hop if you haven't already! We are hosting a great giveaway too which is a wonderful opportunity to give some extra exposure to you lovely blog. Come and link up, enter the giveaway and celebrate the coming weekend with us!

Aloha,

Jean {What Jean Likes}

Meredith said...

I love this!!

Such a great reminder that though many of the signs are showing up with increasing fervor, a thief in the night does not announce his presence, or broadcast it to the world!

Catch My Words said...

It is tomorrow in New Zealand, and my friend is still here.

http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

Laurie Collett said...

Amen, Jean! False prophets & false teachers through the centuries have predicted a date, but the Bible clearly states that only the Father knows the day and the hour!

Thanks so much for following & for hosting, & God bless! (I just linked up this week's post).

Laurie

Laurie Collett said...

So true, Meredith! Thanks so much for your visit and comment, and may you have a blessed Christmas!
Laurie

Laurie Collett said...

Great point, Joyce! Not that I was worried! :-)

Thanks so much for your visit & comment, & God bless!
Laurie

Anonymous said...

My children kept trying to use doomsday as an excuse to open presents early, LOL! However, I agree. In the end, it's about trusting in Jesus Christ, knowing our Bible, and being the light unto the world that He has called us to be. As a woman who has unsaved family members, my heart often fights against itself at praying for His return right this moment because I want to be with Him, and begging for Him to wait because I worry about the eternity of loved ones, of strangers alike.
Really enjoyed reading this. Thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

I've actually been looking for more information on this and I found you through a blog hop, guess it pays to link up!

Laurie Collett said...

Great point, razella.com! It is his mercy that causes Him to tarry, waiting for all to be saved. What you're describing is like Paul's dilemma -- He wanted to be with Christ, yet realized it was more profitable for the new believers in Christ if he were still here to build up their faith. May all unsaved souls come to Him soon and quickly so that His swift return will follow!
Thanks so much for your visit & comment, & God bless!
Laurie

Laurie Collett said...

Thanks, Julie, for your visit & comment! I hope you found this post helpful. Blessings to you & yours,
Laurie

Michelle said...

Great teaching. Too many people listen to false teaching and false prophets. I think we focus too much on the end instead of living in the day for Him. We worry, when He tells us not to. We try to control things, when He calls us to trust Him. We're still here so again, only He is in control and until we trust in this truth we will waiver.

Katherines Corner said...

Merry Christmas and Thank you for sharing at the hop xo

Laurie Collett said...

Thanks so much, Michelle! Amen -- He is in control, and He is infinitely good and infinitely great. Those who trust Him have no need to fear.
God bless,
Laurie

Laurie Collett said...

Thanks, Katherine! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

Unknown said...

Such a well thought out, studied, and written post. I love this post. I seen your post on the Weekend Blog Walk and I am already a fan but I wanted to check in and see what this post was all about. It is amazing!! I am going to be referring back to your blog in a post I have been working on about my fears of the coming rapture.
Love
Patricia
http://www.thettdiaries.com

Laurie Collett said...

Thanks so much, Patricia, for your kind comment! Hope you'll come back often and that you'll find it helpful. Looking forward to reading your Rapture blog post!
Love in Him, and Happy New Year!
Laurie