No end in sight to end-of-times predictions

Having just finished the last bag of powdered scrambled eggs I purchased in preparation for Y2K, I am not quite ready for the world to come to an end ... again.

[slug]

You picked on the Mayans because of somebody's fantasy. Hocus pocus. The end of the world sale today most successful has been Al Gore's global warming. Politicians, the Nobel Committee and practically every teacher in a classroom is in on that one. Deal with that from a Christian viewpoint.

[Mr B]

As a Pastor, I surprised that you didn't quote the words of Jesus, who clearly said:

Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

It's amazing how many people out there want to pretend to know the day.

[westside steve]

I was taught in my youth (catholic school) that Revelation author, St. John of Patmos, was an oracle. Greeks of that time period (Patmos is a small Greek island)were really into oracles. Oracles are not run of the mill prophets, but cast predictions in very strange ways that are never apparent until after the fact.
They are often loaded with "booby traps of fate" that destroyed the ancient peoples that beleived in them.
Don't bet the farm on the rantings of some old dude who lived in a cave on a remote island, your interpretation is likely flawed if you beleive in such things. Get on with your life, worship (...or don't) as you see fit: but don't fret over oracles.

[Early Reader]

Now, if could only get the political, health and enviro apocalypticrats to be so ethical and rational.

[Oregon Chris]

Oh, well, of course, Westside Steve, if you were taught that about oracles in your youth at a catholic school, it must be absolutely true, and an excellent proof of any discussion you'd care to engage in as an adult . . .

[nmweatherman]

westside steve wrote:

...Don't bet the farm on the rantings of some old dude who lived in a cave on a remote island, your interpretation is likely flawed if you beleive in such things. Get on with your life, worship (...or don't) as you see fit: but don't fret over oracles.

Actually references to Dec. 21, 2012, come from many ancient sources (Google it). Why this one date? I don't know.

St. John (the Divine) wrote some heavy-duty "visions" but let's put him into context and not write him off as blithely as you did. He was basically warning the early Church against the infamous Nero (666...numbers from the Hebrew alphabet...Hebrew letters represent numbers, too) and the Romans. His apocalyptic visions were to show victory over these murdering Romans and reaffirm that Father God and Yeshua will win in the end. I find that to be the "good news."

Frankly...hate to be pessimistic...I yearn for that asteroid that will cleanse this planet. Perhaps homo sapiens is an evolutionary mistake, and, like a virus, is destroying this planet. Perhaps...like the giant reptiles...we will be cleansed off the planet and Mother Earth, with millions of years at her disposal, will begin again.

Some say the Hopis, Mayans, Nostradamus and many others have predicted this ending and a new world coming. That's cool by me. The only thing I am certain of by the date Dec. 21st, 2012, the earth and sun will align through Sagittarius with the center of our galaxy, and that doesn't happen very often.

But let's not put St. John and Revelations down. In his time he was warning the young Christian church against murderers and those who would destroy them...and he had to do it "in code," in terms his readers would understand (666).

Incidentally the Hopis said of the destruction and coming of the new "4th world" that one sign would be that a worldwide web would cover the earth. The same "web" I'm using right this moment...

[KJohnson]

"... the only genuine method of spiritual preparation comes by faith in Christ as the Savior of souls. Someday there will be an end. But one needn't fear the near or distant future when clothed in Christ, the One who holds the keys to it all."
AMEN!

[sob76]

Pastor Paul,

You mean to tell me the world isn't ending soon. And I was so hoping to visit the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

Slug, I'm certain Global Warming is no where on the pastor's list of believable myths.

I'd say 2012 was actually a prediction of the collapse of the economic world, but we seem to be approaching that catastrophy much too quickly for 2012.

So I guess I'll just accept the fact that the Mayans could no more predict the end of the world than I can.

[Mike Dunaway]

The fear that was implanted in my head by well meaning Christians of a former denomination of mine left a few dents in my psyche for some time. I had been told point blank that the LORD 'could not tarry' beyond 1972. There were, of course, some mathematical calculations that went along with this claim. Come 1973 I heard no apology, retraction, confusion or anything else in regard to this prediction. As an 11 year old boy I was scared to death for nothing.
I'm so glad to be currently attending Branch of Hope where Pastor Paul preaches on many issues from God's Word...including eschatology, faithfully, without unnecessary sensationalism, or innovation.

[Brother Mark]

I totally agree Pastor.

[Bill Maher]

Mr B wrote:

As a Pastor, I surprised that you didn't quote the words of Jesus, who clearly said:
Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
It's amazing how many people out there want to pretend to know the day.

Sounds like you all missed the boat.

[QUOTE who="Luke 21:29-32"]

And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
[/QUOTE]

[Norma Ballenger]

I totally agree with Rev. Paul Viggiano concerning the end times. No one shall know when the end will be not even the Mayans. I would hope that people would attend Church learn the scriptures we never know someday the Bible could be snatched from our hands. Without the word of God we are nothing. Attend Church, read the Bible and ask your Pastor question know the word and keep it in your heart and speak the truth.

[room 222]

Bill Maher wrote:

<quoted text>
Sounds like you all missed the boat.
<quoted text>

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Very true. That generation did not pass away until all those things were fulfilled.

[Samson]

I believe that "till all be fulfilled" is not a correct translation. It actually says," till all these things begin to occur". All those things did begin to occur in that generation, but all of those things have yet occurred.

[Samson]

But not all of those things have occurred yet.

[the examiner]

We need to contact Clark Kent. Does any one have his cell phone number?

[Bill Maher]

Samson wrote:

I believe that "till all be fulfilled" is not a correct translation. It actually says," till all these things begin to occur". All those things did begin to occur in that generation, but all of those things have yet occurred.

Jesus spoke clearly, even resorting to parables to explain things for everyone to understand. He would have said "till all these things begin to occur" if that's what he meant. He's talking to the apostles in Mark so he's clearly speaking of the hear and now.

And what about Mathew 16:28?

"Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."

So you still want to claim it's a question of translation. OK, then how could anyone know what the Bible really means if it's so open to interpretation? Maybe that's why there are so many interpretations (and of course only yours is the right one).

[room 222]

The literal translation is "amen lego hymin hoti ou me parelthe he genea haute heos an panta genetai" which is translated "amen I say to you that not not might go along the generation of this until all might become"

"the generation of this" or "this generation" is the near demonstrative indicating the generation to whom Jesus was speaking. "all might become" is aorist tense which is basically the English past tense. "coming to pass" would be an allowable translation since Jesus is speaking of events that take place over a period of time. But to extend that time throughout thousands of years would make the time text meaningless, especially based upon the context. Little doubt Jesus is speaking about the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70 and the destruction of the temple (Matthew 24:1, 2).

[Anonymous]

The world is coming to an end. Period. End of story.
French: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xb3upy_le-pe...
Hindi: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xb3up5_yyy-y...

[2112 Rush]

Attention all planets of the solar federation
We have assumed control.