You have probably come across at least one prediction of the end of the world. You can google "wikipedia predictions of the end of the world" to view a list of the many made each century since Jesus made the first recorded prediction. Of course, not one of these has happened and thus, most of us ignore the next prediction to which we become exposed. But is it wise to ignore Jesus' prediction? Might His prediction have already come true?
Jesus taught that, at His Second Coming, the end of the world would be cataclysmic. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken."{Matt 24: 29} "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." {Matt 24: 36} "Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." {Matt 24: 44}
However, He also taught that the end of the world would occur during the lifetime of his followers. "Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." {Matt 24: 34} At first, this sounds like, "Case closed!" Prediction: During His generation. Fact: Didn't happen (and still hasn't!). But is all the evidence in? Is there something about the evidence that we don't really understand? Which is more likely? 1. Jesus was in error. 2. We misunderstand. The smart money is on Jesus!
Might Jesus have meant the end of the world, for each person, will occur at the hour of their death? If so, it would have happened for each person in His generation when they passed away. If so, it will happen to us!
But wait! We know there has never been a death where we see an occurrence of the cataclysmic phenomena of which Jesus speaks. If Jesus said there would be, doesn’t that mean his prediction is still in error? Maybe not! Does anyone know what the dying person experiences at the instant of their death? Do Jesus' descriptions not sound a lot like what is reported about near-death experiences? At the hour of our death might we experience Jesus’ coming as He described it?
If so, what can we make of Jesus’ many teachings that we will all be judged at the end of our world? Is being judged as goats separated from sheep and good fish from bad not clear? Are being as unprepared as a wedding guest with no wedding garment and virgins with no oil for their lamps not wakeup calls to us to fully prepare? Jesus’ standards make it clear that the gate is wide, and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. {Matt 7: 13} He makes it clear that the criteria will be how well we did God’s will as described in The Greatest Commandment. Might there be more, than we're aware of, to this commandment as we postulate at All the Alls in The Greatest Commandment and The Neighbour in the Greatest Commandment?
Will the result of Jesus' judgement be punitive or a qualification? Might hell be our self-inflicted separation from God rather than His punishment of us? Might Jesus’ judgement be simply His qualification of our preparedness to be in heaven where God’s will is done. If we have not adequately prepared during our lifetime on earth, will we be given posthumous time to choose to do His will, as we speculate in Purgatory?
Is the ball in your court? Does any doubt remain that you will see the end of the world?
Del H. Smith conducts research into life’s meaning and is the award-winning author of the AMAZON Best Seller, Discovering Life’s Purpose.