When Christians and other religious figures predict the end of the world, the prophecies usually tie into other popular beliefs and intense events. In this article, you will learn some of the primary themes, (which are mainly religious) which are associated with predictions that have and still involve the end of the world.
End of the world predications associated with Christians center on a handful of significant observations and beliefs. For starters, the second coming of Jesus Christ is an important belief amongst religious people, who await the day when He returns to Earth after nearly two millennia. Others believe that a detrimental battle in Israel will take place , also known as the war of Armageddon.
Some Christians focus on the though that the Antichrist may arrive on earth in the form of an evil military leader with great political influence. With the way of the environment, climate or unpredictable weather condition, some have predicted a horrible natural disaster playing a role in the end of the world. Christians also believe in the Rapture, where followers who have been born again will rise into the sky to meet Jesus. This theory applies to both the living and dead born-again Christians.
Great suffering and death though to fall upon the shoulders of humans at some time is thought to last seven years. This event is called the Tribulation. With this theory come various views of what will happen to Christians if this event should become a reality:
· For Pretribulationists, they believe all Christians then alive will be taken bodily up to Heaven (referred to as the Rapture) before the Tribulation begins. Those who become Christians after the rapture will either survive through (or die during) the Tribulation. Following the Tribulation, they believe Christ will return.
· Prewrath tribulationists believe that the rapture will occur during the Tribulation, halfway through or after, but before the “seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
· Seventh Trumpet Tribulationists slightly differ from the prewrath believers, as they feel the rapture will take place during the Tribulation , either halfway through or after, and before the seven bowls of the wrath of God. However, they have pinpointed the event as occurring when the Seventh Trumpet (Rev. 11:15, 1 Cori. 15:52) of the Seventh Seal sounds.
· Midtribulationists the rapture of the faithful will transpire halfway through the Tribulation, but before the worst of it takes place. They believe the period of seven years is comprised of two halves , the first being the “beginning of sorrows” and the second referred to as the “great tribulation” proper.
· Posttribulationists feel that Christians will not be taken up into Heaven. Instead, they are received or gathered by Christ into the Kingdom of God on earth following the end of the Tribulation, as quoted in Matthew 24:29,31; Mark 13:24-27; and Luke 21:25-27: “Immediately after the tribulation … then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man [Jesus] … and he shall gather his elect.” It is the concept that a post-tribulation coming is also mentioned in Peter 3:10-13, which says Christ’s return is on the same level as “elements being melted” and “the earth also and the works therein shall be burned up.”